A Federal Heights police officer shot and killed a fugitive parolee — who officers believed was armed — when he refused orders to surrender and attempted to flee.

Police said the man had driven to an apartment complex after threatening a woman. There were three other people in the car with him. Police arrested two suspects and are searching for another person who bolted on foot.

The officer fired multiple shots at the unnamed suspect after the man refused several orders and climbed into a red Mercedes Benz at building 18 of the Tuscan Heights Apartments in an apparent attempt to flee the scene.

The names of the dead man and the three other suspects have not been released. The name of the deceased suspect will be released by the Adams County coroner following confirmation of his identity and an autopsy, Federal Heights Police Chief Karl Wilmes said.

A woman called 911 at 9:54 p.m. Tuesday night saying that the parolee had threatened to go to her house. The man had violated parole and was sought on arrest warrants, Wilmes said.

“She was in fear for her life and the life of her daughter,” Wilmes said.

The unnamed victim warned that the parolee would likely be armed and uncooperative, he said.

Federal Heights police set up a perimeter at the apartment on the 1800 block of 85th Avenue and called an ambulance to prepare for the suspect’s arrival, Wilmes said.

The victim told police that the suspect continued communicating with her – likely by text – because she remained on the phone with dispatchers. He repeatedly told her he was headed to her apartment.

Police spotted a red Mercedes Benz occupied by four people roll into the parking lot. Wilmes said he believes there were two men and two women inside the car.

When the car stopped, all four people climbed out of the car and began walking to the apartment. Police then confronted the four, ordering them to surrender, Wilmes said.

At that point, the parolee, who appeared to be armed with a gun, darted back to the Mercedes and climbed into the driver’s seat of the car. He ignored orders for him to stop.

At that point, one of the Federal Heights officers fired multiple shots at the suspects, striking the man.

“The only shots fired were by the Federal Heights police officer,” Wilmes said.

Paramedics already on the scene immediately attempted to revive the man.

He was taken to Denver Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Wilmes said.

The circumstances of the shooting are under investigation. Early on in the investigation it is not clear whether this was a domestic related incident, Wilmes said.

“It could be a lot of different things at this point. We’re trying to sort it out,” he said.