Parker Police Shooting: Six Officers Placed on Leave After Fatal Gas Station Incident

Six police officers in Parker, Colorado, have been placed on administrative leave following a shooting that left a gas station employee dead, officials said. Officers were called to the area of Jordan Road and Mainstreet around 22:20 local time on Monday after multiple residents reported hearing gunfire, according to the Parker Police Department. When officers arrived less than three minutes later, they found spent shell casings and live ammunition in the parking lot of the T Square gas station at 17050 East Mainstreet. Police said they then spoke with a gas station employee who initially identified himself as a witness to the gunfire. However, officers said the 32-year-old man became “very agitated” and was “acting erratically,” repeatedly lifting his sweatshirt to reveal a gun tucked into his waistband. According to police, officers made “numerous attempts” to persuade the man to de-escalate and surrender. They said he then became increasingly agitated, pulled out his gun and pointed it at officers, prompting them to open fire. Officers called for medical assistance and attempted life-saving measures before the man was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No officers were injured. “Our partnership with the community is what makes this community so great,” said Parker Police spokesman Josh Hans during a news conference on Tuesday. Hans said investigators have not yet determined how many shots were fired or how many struck the suspect. He added that the department knew the man’s identity but had no record of prior encounters with him. The 23rd Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team has been assigned to investigate the shooting. The six officers involved have been placed on leave in accordance with department policy. Hans noted that this was the first officer-involved shooting for the Parker Police Department since 2017. “I think we’re very pleased that officers were on the scene in less than three minutes,” Hans said. “We don’t get calls for shots fired here in Parker. We’re a very safe, very quiet community. We’re very proud of the fact that it has been eight years, but we don’t want to diminish the fact that there was still a loss of life.” Hans added that the shooting was captured on officers’ body-worn cameras. Under Colorado state law, the footage must first be offered to the family of the deceased before it can be made public.