Carjacking suspect in Cherry Creek North standoff identified by police

DENVER – The carjacking suspect arrested Wednesday following a nearly four-hour-long standoff in Cherry Creek North was identified by police Friday.

The victim in the alleged carjacking told police that around 2:35 p.m., he noticed that a man was sitting in the front passenger seat of his black Mercedes-Benz in the area of Josephine and Columbine, a police report obtained by Denver7 states.

The owner of the Mercedes-Benz then approached his vehicle but as he got near, the suspect, identified as Axel Treutler, 55, told him he “better get into the f-----g car” while reaching under his jacket as though he had a weapon, according to the report.

The victim refused and started to call 911, but as he started dialing, Treutler reportedly told him that “it didn’t matter if he called 911, he was dead anyway.” The suspect then got out of the car and chased the victim on East 3rd Avenue, calling him an “infidel,” the police report also states.

The suspect then returned to the vehicle, where he sat in the driver’s seat. The victim then called police and a standoff later ensued.

It took nearly four hours for police to use rubber bullets and take the Treutler into custody.

Bromwell Elementary School in the Cherry Creek neighborhood was placed on lockout in response to the standoff in the area of 3rd Avenue and Josephine Streets. 

Treutler was arrested on suspicion of robbery, menacing and kidnapping.

Denver7 reached out to the Denver Public Defender’s Office for comment, but has yet to hear back.