Man injured in shooting involving Estes Park police, Larimer County deputies

A man is injured following an early morning shooting involving an Estes Park police officer and Larimer County Sheriff's Office deputies Sunday.

About 2:45 a.m., officers responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 1100 block of Griffith Court in Estes Park, where the sheriff's office said a man was shooting a firearm and a woman was trapped inside. Police had made a welfare check at the residence earlier, according to a release from the sheriff's office.

Deputies and the Estes Park officer approached the home and contacted the man, during which shots were fired and the man was injured, according to the news release. The man was flown to an area hospital.

The sheriff's office confirmed that at least one law enforcement officer fired their firearm, but would not confirm how many or which agency was involved, citing the ongoing investigation. No deputies were injured in the shooting.

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The 8th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) was notified and has responded to conduct the investigation. The Loveland Police Department will be the lead investigating agency. The investigation is ongoing and no further information will be released at this time. This incident was contained to known parties and there is not a threat to the public, according to the sheriff's office.

CIRT includes investigators from law enforcement agencies across the judicial district. After investigating, the team will present its findings to the Larimer County District Attorney's Office, which then will decide whether the level of force was warranted in the shooting.

When a police shooting occurs, departments also conduct internal reviews to determine if the agency's policies and protocols were followed during the incident.

This was the second police shooting in the county in the past two weeks and the fifth so far this year. There was one police shooting in 2018, five in 2017, and three in both 2015 and 2016, according to Coloradoan records.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Larimer County Sheriff’s Office at 970-416-1985 or Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868 where you will remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a cash reward.

Police shootings in Larimer County in 2019

On Nov. 11, Loveland police officers fatally shot an armed homicide suspect, Tammy Pierce, in her west Loveland home. CIRT's investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

Loveland Police Department identified three officers who fired their weapons during the shooting:

Officer Paul Ashe, a 7-year veteran of the Loveland Police Department who previously worked at the Colorado State University Police Department.

Officer Mat Grashorn, a 5-year veteran of the Loveland Police Department who previously worked at the Laramie County Sheriff's Office in Wyoming.

Master Sgt. Phil Metzler, a 25-year veteran of the Loveland Police Department who began his law enforcement career with the Evans Police Department.

The three officers on the Loveland Police Department SWAT Team were placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with the police department's policy.

In May, Larimer County District Attorney Cliff Riedel cleared Ashe in the April 29 shooting of Gavin David Gamez, who was suspected of robbing a Loveland Subway at gunpoint. Gamez survived a gunshot wound to his upper-right chest and his criminal case is ongoing.

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In January, a Fort Collins police officer responding to a domestic violence disturbance shot an armed suspect holding his estranged wife hostage as the suspect fatally shot himself, ending the threat. The officer shot him four times.

Officer Keith Hunter was justified in the shooting of 36-year-old Joshua Moore on Jan. 12, Riedel ruled in February. The Larimer County Coroner's Office ruled Moore's death a suicide.

On Jan. 8, a Larimer County Sheriff's Office deputy shot at a suspect during a standoff near Berthoud.

Deputy Ethan Powers was legally justified in firing his weapon at the 46-year-old Berthoud man, who was not hit by the gunfire, Riedel said in a formal opinion released later that month.

The man faced two charges stemming from the incident. Both were dismissed by the district attorney's office on May 28, according to Colorado court records.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.

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