Denver gunman 'shoots multiple officers'

A Colorado shooter killed one member of security forces and wounded several others on the outskirts of Denver, prompting authorities to set up roadblocks in the area, Douglas County Sheriff's Office said on Sunday. A SWAT team and a bomb squad were deployed at the scene.

"We have multiple officers down," said Deputy Jason Blanchard, according to The Denver Post. Two civilians were also shot, according to the authorities.

Later on Sunday, the Sheriff's Office said that the suspect was "shot & believed to be dead & no longer a threat." The Denver Post also cited spokespeople in local hospitals, saying that a total of seven people were hospitalized over the incident.

US President Donald Trump expressed his condolences on Twitter.

The police initially responded to an early morning report of a domestic disturbance, reaching the scene on the outskirts of Denver at around 5:14 AM, Douglas Country Sheriff Tony Spurlock told reporters. Once there, however, upon reaching, police determined that the conflict was not between a married couple or partners, but between the suspect and his roommate.

A team of five sheriff deputies spent several minutes talking to the suspect. At one point, the gunman opened fire at them, killing one and wounding several others.

"All of them were shot very, very quickly and they all went down almost within seconds of each other," Spurlock told reporters at a news conference, calling it an "ambush-type" attack.

The murdered deputy was identified as 29-year-old father of two, Zackari Parrish, who was only with the force for seven months.

"When he was shot and went down, the other officers went down right around him and they tried to pull him out, but were
unable to because of their injuries," Spurlock said.

The shooting prompted a large police response. Local reporter Meghan Lopez posted a video from the scene, saying that at least eight ambulances were seen arriving to the area.

The suspect managed to fire over 100 rounds and wounded another police officer before he was neutralized by the security forces.

He is believed to have used a rifle, although the exact type of the weapon has not been officially confirmed, Spurlock said.

The county sheriff also said the suspect had no criminal record, despite "multiple" contacts with law enforcement. The assailant's name has not been released to the public.

Law enforcement members formed a procession to escort the body of the murdered Zackari Parrish from the hospital.

An emergency shelter has also been set up near the area for people "displaced from their homes due to this event."

dj/rc (AP, dpa, Reuters, AFP)