DENVER, Colo. (KDVR) — Denver police shot a barricaded suspect Monday morning as he attempted to force his way out of a convenience store using a hostage as a human shield.
The suspect had barricaded himself inside a 7-Eleven store at West Colfax Avenue and Perry Street shortly before 9 a.m. He took a female hostage, and there were employees and customers inside the store during the incident, DPD said.
FOX31 Denver reporters witnessed an officer shooting the man as he tried to exit the building while using his hostage as a human shield. The suspect was apparently hit in the shoulder, and his condition was not immediately known.
It was not clear whether the man was armed.
Police surrounded the store just before 9 a.m., and confirmed via Twitter that the suspect was taken into custody as of 9:30 a.m.
The Denver police SWAT team as well as several ambulances were still on scene as of 9:30 a.m., and are expected to be on hand for much of the morning.
Cowell Elementary School, Lake International School, Strive Prep at the Lake Campus, Cheltenham Elementary and Colfax Elementary were all placed on a modified lockdown, Denver Public Schools said. The lockdown was lifted at 9:30 a.m.
Colfax was closed from Newton Street to west of Perry, and between 14th and 16th avenues, DPD said.
A witness told FOX31 Denver that store employees knew the suspect.
