Thornton police officers shot and killed two people early Tuesday in Lakewood after officials say one of them fired a gun at the officers following a chase, according to a news release from the Thornton Police Department.
Around 2:40 a.m. Tuesday, officers reported seeing a car with no license plates in the area of East 84th Avenue and Washington Street in Thornton, according to the news release. They followed the car south into Lakewood, according to police.
A person in the car got out in the area of Alameda Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard and fired a gun at officers, police said. Police then pursued the car to Second Avenue and Garrison Street, where they stopped and two people — at least one of whom was armed with a handgun — got out of the car, according to the news release.
Officers fired shots, striking both people, who were later pronounced deceased on scene. They have not yet been publicly identified.
The incident is being investigated by the Jefferson County Critical Incident Response Team and the officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave.
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