Deputies Shot Colorado

A law enforcement officer works at the scene Wednesday where a man opened fire on several sheriff's deputies before the officers returned fire, killing the man, outside Bailey, Colo. Authorities say Martin T. Wirth, who lost ownership of his home two years ago, opened fire on the officers trying to serve an eviction notice.

(Brennan Linsley, Associated Press)

BAILEY, Colorado -- One sheriff's deputy was killed and two others wounded after a man opened fire on them as they attempted to serve an eviction notice at a home outside of Denver.

The accused gunman, Martin T. Wirth, 58, a political activist known for his strong opinions about the foreclosure crisis and injustices among corporations and the criminal-justice system, also died in the shootout, the Associated Press reports.

The deputy killed was identified as Cpl. Nate Carrigan, 35, a 13-year veteran of the Park County Sheriff's Department, according to the Denver Post. Master Patrol Deputy Kolby Martin was shot several and is in critical condition at a hospital in Lakewood, Colorado.

Capt. Mark Hancock was wounded in the ear and was treated and released, the Post reports.

Carrigan was a beloved assistant high school baseball and football coach, KDVR.com reports. He was not married, but had a girlfriend and was a father, according to thedenverchannel.com.

Carrigan is the 10th law-enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in 2016. According to the Washington Post, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund says this "dramatically" outpaces the number of officer deaths at the same point in 2015.

The shooting occurred Wednesday morning as officers entered Wirth's home, located in a rural area about 45 miles southwest of Denver.

Wirth reportedly had walked outside on the deck of the home and went back inside. When officers tried to follow him inside, the shooting began.

Wirth has had trouble with law-enforcement in the past, including in 1994 when he was accused of shooting a man in the chest after becoming upset during a chess match. He was acquitted.

He was considered a lead in the Occupy Denver movement, although the group had revoked its support for him in 2014 because of his tactics.

The group did release a statement after his death, the Denver Post reports.

"We have just received the the tragic news that Martin Wirth, who was known to many in Occupy Denver, was killed by police today as they tried to evict him from his home," the statement said. "He cared deeply about injustice in this world. ... This is a shock and a tragedy. Rest in power, Martin, you will be missed."