1 woman dead after shootout with Denver police near Broadway and Lawrence Street

The Denver Police Department posted a message on X on Sunday that a woman was dead following a shooting involving officers at Broadway and Lawrence Street.

According to DPD, the shot woman was pronounced dead at the crime scene.

Officials are asking the public to avoid the area as roads are closed and motorists should expect delays. Motorists in the area are advised to take alternate routes.

Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas spoke to media about the background to Sunday’s shooting, saying officers received a report of a person armed with a knife at the intersection of Broadway and Lincoln Street.

“We received two calls, one from a Denver park ranger and the other from a passerby. Both described the individual as being at the intersection with a knife in her hand,” Thomas said. “Officers arrived on scene within minutes and found the woman still at the intersection with the knife in her hand.”

He then recalled the moments leading up to the shooting, adding: “The officers repeatedly ordered them to drop the weapon, but they refused and actually walked towards the officers. The officers then deployed a taser twice. Both taser deployments seemed to have an effect, but did not have the desired effect.”

“The officers then reached for their pistols and fired several shots. The suspect fell to the ground and the officers immediately called an ambulance and began rendering aid. The ambulance arrived in less than two minutes and unfortunately pronounced the suspect deceased,” he said.

Thomas also added that officers would now begin critical incident protocol and that an investigation is currently underway at the scene being conducted by police, the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.