LITTLETON, Colo. — Police in Littleton on Wednesday released the name of the at-large suspect who shot and wounded a Littleton police officer late Monday.
Police said Rigoberto Valles Dominguez, 33, shot Littleton Police Officer David Snook multiple times after the suspectentered an apartment unit during a foot chase in the area of 183 W. Powers Avenue in Littleton.
Officer Snook and a second officer at the scene, Corporal Jeff Farmer, were able to return fire, but it's not known if the suspect was struck.
Snook, a 13-year veteran of the Littleton Police Department, received multiple gunshot wounds to his arm, leg, and torso and was severely injured, Littleton Police Chief Doug Stephens said Wednesday. He said Snook remains in the intensive care unit at Swedish Medical Center, but he is improving and wanted to thank the community for their support.
Corporal Farmer, the second officer at the scene, was also injured during the shooting, but Stephens said he was not struck by gunfire. Farmer injured his knee and is recovering at home.
The chief called the two officers' actions heroic.
"I can not express how proud I am of the heroic actions of these officers as well as all the men and women of our department who did not hesitate to take action to keep our community safe," Stephens said.
Dominguez was able to get away after the shooting and remains on the run as of Wednesday evening.
The incident began shortly before midnight Monday. Littleton police were dispatched to the area of Bannock Street and W. Powers Avenue on a report of shots fired from a vehicle. The officers were able to identify the vehicle based on witness descriptions.
As they tried to contact the individuals in the car, Dominguez and another person fled on foot from the vehicle, and the officers started to chase them. Dominquez then entered the apartment, turned and fired multiple times at Snook.
Stephens said police have interviewed others that were in the vehicle at the time Dominguez took off, but no arrests have been made.
Stephens said Dominguez may have committed an armed carjacking a few blocks from where the shooting occurred, about 12 hours after the incident. He said despite their efforts to search the area for Dominguez, he was able to slip out undetected. Stephens called Dominguez armed and extremely dangerous.
The vehicle stolen during the carjacking is described as a sand-grey 2002 Ford Explorer with Colorado license plates: AGM-D94. The vehicle has a smashed window on the driver’s side. A Denver7 photojournalist was in the area at the time of the carjacking and captured part of the incident on camera. Video shows the suspect, believed to be Dominguez, speed off in the stolen Ford Explorer.
Dominguez is described as an 5’5” tall, 190-pound Hispanic male with brown eyes and short buzz-cut brown hair. He has several tattoos, including a skull on his right forearm and a saint on his left forearm.
If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Dominguez or the stolen vehicle, they are being asked to call Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
A fund has been established to help officer Snook at Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union. Donations can be made at any Colorado Credit Union in David Snook’s name.
