Man Dies After Shootout With Police In Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, CO — A 35-year-old man died after a shootout with officers and a SWAT team in Lakewood early Thursday morning, police said.

Officers were called at 2:48 a.m. to an apartment complex near West Jewell Avenue and South Kipling Parkway after they received reports of a man throwing rocks at his neighbor's door, Lakewood police said. The neighbor told police that he tried to confront the man, but he pulled out a gun.

When the officers arrived, the man barricaded himself inside his apartment and refused to come out, police said.

"The suspect also made various threats to agents that he was armed and would kill any law enforcement who tried to enter," Lakewood police said in a news release.

"A short time later, the West Metro SWAT Team responded. Agents attempted to negotiate with the suspect to come out on multiple occasions, but the suspect refused."

The man went onto his balcony just before 6 a.m., and began firing at officers with what looked like a sawed-off shotgun, police said. A SWAT member fired one round back at the man and injured him.

He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

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The identity of the man has not been released.

The Jefferson County Critical Incident Response Team will investigate the shooting, police said.

Under routine department policy, the Lakewood SWAT member who shot the man will be placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.