Police in Denver, Colorado, shot a man early Saturday morning after he allegedly held a woman hostage following a road rage shooting. The incident began when a man called 911 to report that someone had shot at his car near Interstate 25 and Colfax Avenue. The caller followed the car until police attempted to pull it over. The car refused to stop, leading to a police chase that ended in a crash near York Street and East 35th Avenue.
During the crash, one of the individuals in the car took a woman hostage at gunpoint. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas stated that officers believed the suspect was armed and threatening to harm the hostage. Negotiations were attempted to secure the release of the hostage and the surrender of the weapon, but the suspect refused to comply. Eventually, a single officer fired a shot, striking the suspect. Both the suspect and the hostage were safely secured after the shooting.
The injured suspect was taken to the hospital, while the woman was also hospitalized with injuries believed to be sustained during the crash. Three other people were inside the suspect’s car, and they are all now in police custody. Authorities are working to determine their level of involvement in the incident. The original 911 caller did not sustain any injuries.
Footage from the scene showed a red Ford F-150 being towed, although it remains unclear if this was the suspect’s vehicle. In light of this incident, police are advising victims of road rage incidents to gather as much information as possible about the offending vehicle, including the license plate number. However, they strongly discourage individuals from pursuing suspects on their own.