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Woman dies in shootout with Denver police officers, officials say

Posted at 3:39 AM, Aug 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-16 19:53:23-04

DENVER – A woman who was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with Denver police officers Thursday night later died at a hospital, police said.

The shooting happened shortly after 11:30 p.m. near a 7-Eleven at West Colfax Avenue and Perry Street. Two officers had gone to talk with two people inside of a "vehicle of interest" at the convenience store, police said, but more information about why the officers initiated contact with the vehicle have not been released.

A woman in the vehicle, an SUV, got out and walked away, police Lt. Matt Clark said in a news conference. The woman then pulled out a gun and fired at the officers, Clark said. Both officers returned fire, striking the woman.

Clark said evidence showed that the woman likely fired more than one round toward the officers.

The woman, whose identity has not been released, was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died, police said.

No officers were injured in the shootout.

A man who was also in the SUV with the woman was uninjured and was arrested on drug possession charges. Police identified the man as Justin Lucero, 31.

The Aurora Police Department, Denver District Attorney's Office and the Office of the Independent Monitor are investigating the shooting.

Several streets in the area were closed while police investigated the shooting.