Suspect shot by Larimer sheriff's deputy after Johnstown chase dies at area hospital
The unidentified man who Larimer County sheriff's deputies say threatened them with a knife following a high-speed chase died in an area hospital after he was shot by an officer Friday night.
About 10:13 p.m. Friday, a sheriff's deputy attempted a traffic stop in the 2800 block of the southeast frontage road in Johnstown, which is near Johnson's Corner. The male driver of the 2005 Honda Pilot fled northbound "at a high rate of speed," a news release from the sheriff's office said.
The pursuing deputy used a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle as it approached the Colorado Highway 402 roundabout, and a man emerged from the vehicle, advancing toward deputies while carrying a knife, despite being given commands to stop, according to the news release.
A deputy, who is unnamed, fired their weapon, striking the suspect, who was seriously injured and taken to a hospital.
There was also a passenger in the suspect's car who was not injured.
A news release sent Sunday night from Fort Collins Police Services said deputies provided first aid to the man until medical crews arrived and he was transported to an hospital. The Larimer County coroner will provide the person's identity, along with official cause and manner of death, at a later date.
The 8th Judicial District Critical Incident Team will investigate, and the agency will be the Loveland Police Department, the sheriff's office said in the news release. Fort Collins Police Services is the agency in charge of releasing public information.
How CIRT investigations work
The 8th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, or CIRT, was formed in 2015 in accordance with a new state law requiring a multi-agency team to investigate "an incident involving the discharge of a firearm by a peace officer that resulted in injury or death."
The team is automatically and immediately activated when a police officer is involved in a shooting. The agency that employs the officer or officers involved in a shooting is responsible for alerting the team.
CIRT can also investigate incidents involving officers that result in serious injury or death, including car crashes, as well as incidents in the Larimer County Jail.
Fort Collins Police Services, Loveland Police Department and the Larimer County Sheriff's Office take turns being the lead agency for police shooting investigations. Each year, the responsibility rotates to a different agency.
Agencies involved in the investigations include: Windsor Police Department, Timnath Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Estes Park Police Department, Colorado State University Police Department, Colorado State Patrol and the Larimer County District Attorney's Office.
An agency cannot investigate itself.
After a CIRT investigation is completed, the report is presented to the district attorney, who decides if any criminal charges will be filed related to the incident.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Shooting by Larimer County sheriff's deputy in Johnstown under review
