Lakewood Officer Killed, 3 Wounded in RTD Bus Shootout

A Lakewood, Colorado, police agent was killed and three other agents were wounded Thursday evening when a man opened fire as officers answered a suspicious-person call involving a Regional Transportation District bus at West Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood police said.

Police spokesperson John Romero told reporters that the call came in about 6:30 p.m. and that the suspect, a man who was boarding or attempting to board the bus, began shooting within seconds of contact. Officers returned fire. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. One bystander was also injured and taken to a hospital, Romero said.

Scene and RTD Route 76

RTD said in a statement reported by CBS Colorado that the shooting occurred aboard an RTD-contracted bus on Route 76 in Lakewood and that agency personnel were cooperating with the police investigation. Romero said he believed the gunfire happened on the bus but could not yet confirm whether it was on board or just outside. Names of the slain agent, the wounded agents and the suspect had not been released Thursday night.

Romero said the suspect may have been involved in a hit-and-run earlier in the day, according to The Colorado Sun and CBS Colorado; police said they planned to release more information Friday. St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood told CBS Colorado it treated one patient with non-life-threatening injuries; Denver Health received multiple patients, CBS Colorado reported.

Official response

Gov. Jared Polis said in a written statement that he was heartbroken a Lakewood police agent was killed in the line of duty and that his thoughts were with the three agents and the civilian still receiving care.

Developing: Police have not identified the dead agent, the wounded agents or the suspect, and they have not confirmed whether the shooting began on the bus or beside it.

Sources: The Colorado Sun, CBS Colorado, Associated Press