AURORA, Colo. — A male robbery suspect who police said threatened officers with a gun was shot and killed by Aurora police after a vehicle chase ended near Denver International Airport Saturday morning. A second suspect was arrested.
No officers were injured in the shooting. However, Aurora police said an officer sustained injuries during the chase and a crash. The Aurora officer was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
The chase ended at East 75th Ave. and North Gun Club Rd., off Pena Blvd. near the airport. The shooting took place in the city of Denver, where Denver police are assisting in the investigation.
The incident began as a robbery at a 7-Eleven at East Colfax Ave. and Sable Blvd. in Aurora around 2 a.m. Saturday, according to Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. Witnesses said a black SUV was involved in the robbery, which was spotted by Aurora police near East Colfax Ave. and Chambers Rd. around 5 a.m.
Thomas said police attempted to stop the vehicle, which was occupied by two male suspects, but the driver took off, leading to a pursuit that ended near the Denver airport, where officers used a PIT maneuver to cause the suspect vehicle to crash.
"We understand that a police pursuit, high speed pursuits are inherently dangerous," Thomas said. "And so we want to end those as quickly as we possibly can when it's safe to do so. And so I think those officers believed that this remote location was a safe location in order to perform that maneuver."
After the crash, the male driver took off on foot and threatened officers with a long gun, Thomas said during a Saturday morning briefing. Three Aurora officers opened fire and struck the suspect multiple times, he said. The suspect was declared deceased at the scene. The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner identified him as 30-year-old Abel Yohannes.
Thomas couldn't say if Yohannes fired his weapon.
The second suspect in the vehicle took off on foot but was ultimately captured and taken into custody, Thomas said. It's unclear if the second suspect was armed. No other injuries were reported.
Thomas said they have undergone the Denver officer involved shooting protocol, which involves a joint investigation with Denver investigators as well as those from the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Bureau of Investigations.
The scene investigation of the shooting is blocking access to at least one entrance and exit to the Pikes Peak shuttle lot. But police said they are working to give lot customers alternate routes.
"So we're going to probably be out here for some time. We've already arranged for vehicles that are parked in this parking lot here to find another exit because they will be going right through a crime scene if they go out this exit on this end," Thomas said.
The other identities of those involved in the incident have not been released.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated with the identity of the man who died in the shooting.
