Adams County sheriff's deputies shot a 32-year-old man early Tuesday while they were searching for a stabbing suspect near East 70th Avenue and Dexter Street, according to authorities. Deputies say the man came out of a house armed with a gun in the 6900 block of Dexter Street, and two deputies opened fire. Paramedics took the man to a hospital, and his exact injuries were not immediately known.
As reported by The Denver Post, the shooting happened just after 1 a.m., about one-tenth of a mile from an earlier stabbing scene near East 70th Avenue and Dexter. The sheriff's office said it was not yet clear whether the man had fired his weapon. The two deputies who shot him were placed on administrative leave while the case is investigated.
How the encounter unfolded
According to the sheriff's office, the man, who is 32 years old, stepped out of a house holding a gun. Deputies said they "gave commands to the man" before firing, The Denver Post reported. He had not been publicly identified as of Tuesday, and paramedics took him to a hospital with injuries that were still being assessed.
Investigation and context
The sheriff's office said it is investigating the use of force, and noted that putting involved deputies on administrative leave is standard procedure after a shooting. Hoodline has previously covered multiple deputy-involved shootings in Adams County, including a case in which deputies shot a man during a welfare check. For background on that incident, see how deputies fatally shoot a knife-wielding man.
The man wounded on Tuesday had not been publicly identified, and the sheriff's office has released only limited information while the investigation is underway. Officials have not said whether any charges might be filed.
