THORNTON, Colo. — A Thornton Police officer shot a car theft suspect who was fleeing on foot from a crash scene Thursday afternoon. The suspect's injuries were not life-threatening.
According to a Thornton Police press release, officers were tracking a stolen vehicle when a Lo-Jack activation sent officers to the Town Center parking lot near the 9900 block of North Grant Street.
When officers arrived at the parking lot, the unidentified suspect inside the stolen vehicle took off at a high rate of speed, crashing just a short distance away at the intersection of East 98th Avenue and North Grant Street.
After crashing the car into a median at the intersection, the suspect took off on foot. But officers were close behind. During the foot pursuit, a Thornton officer shot the suspect in the torso. The suspect was transported to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
The officer will be placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol for an officer-involved shooting.