A shooting Monday in a Denver suburb left three people dead, including a police officer, according to reports.
The shooting happened in the downtown district of Arvada, just northwest of Denver.
The officer killed was a longtime veteran of the Arvada Police Department.
Deputy Chief Ed Brady said a gunman fatally shot the officer and a possibly a bystander before being killed himself.
How the shooter died remains unclear.
The bystander — believed to be a Good Samaritan — was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
“At this time, we believe this person was shot and killed by the gunman,” Brady said.
None of the three killed have been identified, but officials plan to release their names after their families have been notified, Brady said. Officials have not yet determined the identity of the bystander who was killed.
Reports indicate the shooting occurred outdoors.
Brady said the incident began at 1:15 p.m. when officers responded to the Olde Town Arvada Square, near the library, on reports of a “suspicious incident.” Around 15 minutes later, the department received multiple 911 calls reporting that an officer had been shot.
“We heard at least four gunshots and we ran inside of the restaurant and people were diving under the tables and then the managers tried to get everyone down to the basement,” Michelle Engelbrecht, who witnessed the shooting, told CNN on Monday.
There was no ongoing threat to the public and police were not looking for any other suspects, Brady said. All shelter-in-place orders have since been lifted; however, there was a continued police presence in the area overnight Monday.
“My thoughts are with the family and friends of the officer who was tragically killed in the line of duty while swiftly and bravely responding to protect civilians in the area."
This is only the third time an Arvada police officer has died on duty in the department’s history, according to Arvada Mayor Marc Williams. It was the first death of an on-duty officer that has involved a firearm.
“Our hearts grieve for the family of the Arvada Police officer, slain in a shootout this afternoon in Olde Town Arvada,” said the Adams County Sheriff’s Office in a tweet.
In a statement released Monday evening, Gov. Jared Polis said officials were “closely monitoring the troubling situation in Arvada.”
“My thoughts are with the family and friends of the officer who was tragically killed in the line of duty while swiftly and bravely responding to protect civilians in the area,” Polis said.
The Arvada Police Department announced the shooting just before 2 p.m., and reported that an officer was “down.” They also reported that officers had secured the area of West 57th Avenue and Olde Wadsworth Boulevard.
Olde Town Arvada is the city’s downtown district with an array of shops, restaurants, breweries and other businesses. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is about 7 miles northwest of downtown Denver.
Detective David Snelling with the Arvada Police Department said police would release more names and details later Monday.
Those who wish to support the fallen officer should direct all donations to cofallenhero.org, the department said.
ArLuther Lee contributed to this report for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
