Law enforcement officials from multiple police organizations conducted a search for an individual who reportedly fired a weapon, resulting in the death of a K-9 unit from Jefferson County, as the suspect fled from the authorities. Meanwhile, the Colorado School of Mines campus was placed under a state of lockdown for a duration of several hours on Monday.
The lockdown at the Colorado School of Mines was lifted, and Eduardo Armando Romero, who was identified by Golden police on Monday evening, was captured shortly before 5 a.M. The individual, aged 29.
Romero was captured on suspicion of a range of crimes, including felony coercion, aggravated animal cruelty, and car theft.
During a press conference on Monday morning, Chief Dustin Olson of the Colorado School of Mines Police stated that officers from the Golden Police Department and the Colorado School of Mines Police made an effort to approach Romero when they found him hunched over the steering wheel of a car near the intersection of 19th Street and Elm Street, shortly past midnight on Monday.
Olson stated that Romero purportedly started colliding with the vehicles of the officers in an attempt to flee upon regaining consciousness and perceiving him slouched over the steering wheel once more. Subsequently, the car halted, and the officers maneuvered into traffic “at a leisurely pace,” distancing themselves from Romero, who regained consciousness while the officers endeavored to communicate with him.
Officers allegedly pointed a handgun at Romero, who then ran into a wooded area. They were trying to remove Romero from the car while a struggle ensued, and he freed himself. According to Ben Salentine, a spokesperson for Golden Police, officers were able to put Romero in the vehicle and break the glass window.
Inhabitants in the vicinity were notified by a JeffCo notification and the Colorado School of Mines initiated a lockdown, during which a thorough search took place.
Sheriff Reggie Marinelli instructed Deputy A of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to seek assistance from the K-9 unit. Deputy Romero located the K-9 and used it to apprehend the suspect, as ordered by the deputy.
According to Marinelli, Romero then reportedly discharged rounds at the K-9 and fatally wounded him.
When asked about any questions regarding the shooting incident, the attorney for the District Judicial 1st did not disclose any details about the exchange of gunfire, but a deputy did fire back at the suspect.
Marinelli identified Graffit, a police dog trained in narcotics detection and patrolling, who had been serving with the sheriff’s department since 2015, during the press conference.
The regional SWAT team from Jefferson County arrived at the search location to provide assistance. Just before 5 a.M., The individual emerged from concealment and surrendered to the officers stationed around the perimeter. According to Salentine, the gun was found nearby at a later time, and the individual was found to have a holster but no firearm.
Romero was taken to a medical center for undisclosed injuries by Salentine, but was provided with medical treatment and later released. He is presently in custody.
The Police Department of the Colorado School of Mines is responsible for the investigation into the incident as a whole.
The lockdown at Mines campus was lifted around 6 a.M.