Critical Incident Response Team activated to investigate police-involved shooting in Craig

The Craig Police Department and Moffat County Sheriff’s Office have released information regarding an officer-involved shooting that left a Craig man dead Friday evening.

According to a Craig Police press release, a Craig Police officer and a Moffat County Sheriff’s Office deputy were involved in the incident.

At approximately 9:40 p.m., Craig Police and the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office were called to a residence in the Cedar Mountain Trailer Park at 925 W. 1st Street in Craig on a report of a man with a handgun. When they arrived at the scene, the officer and deputy were confronted by a male suspect brandishing a handgun. An officer-involved shooting ensued.

Police officers provided medical aid to the male offender until paramedics arrived at the scene. The suspect was taken to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. According to the press release, no further information is being released at this time.

Craig police say the investigation is in its early stages and preliminary information is subject to change. Members of the 14th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team will continue to interview witnesses and people involved in the case in the coming days. Additional details will be released in due course, keeping an eye on the ongoing investigation.

The agencies involved are responsible for releasing the names of the officers/deputies involved. As is customary with any officer-involved shooting, the officer involved and his deputy have been placed on paid administrative leave. An internal investigation is being conducted by CIRT, separate from the criminal investigation.

This incident remains under investigation by the CIRT. All officer-involved shootings in Moffat County are investigated by the 14th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, which consists of representatives from the Steamboat Police Department, Routt County Sheriff’s Office, Granby Police Department, Fraiser/Winter Park Police Department, Craig Police Department, Moffat County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, 14th Judicial District District Attorney’s Office, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

The CIRT is activated when a law enforcement agency is involved in a critical incident to ensure an independent investigation. Because personnel from the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office and Craig Police Department were involved in this incident, the Routt County Sheriff’s Office is leading this investigation on behalf of the CIRT.