Shots Fired during Multi-Jurisdictional Police Incident

On the evening of December 28, 2010, at approximately 7:26 p.m. the Colorado State Patrol became aware of an incident involving an officer from the Thornton Police Department in which the officer was attempting to contact a suspected drunk driver near 128th Ave. and Quebec St. in the City of Thornton. During the contact the suspect fled, running over the officer’s foot.

Troopers responding to the area to offer assistance observed the suspect’s vehicle near 104th Ave. and Highway 85. The suspect again fled when troopers attempted to contact him. Officers from the Adams County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the pursuit. The Commerce City Police Department also assisted by attempting to deploy stop sticks.

The pursuit continued into a nearby residential area where troopers were able to stop the suspect’s vehicle using a Tactical Vehicle Intervention, commonly referred to as a “PIT Maneuver.”

Once stopped, the suspect began resisting officers and in the course of attempting to take the suspect into custody two troopers suffered minor to moderate injuries for which both were treated at an area hospital and later released. The Thornton officer was also treated and released.

During the course of the incident, shots were fired by officers from the Commerce City Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol. The suspect, Andrew Terry, did suffer a superficial gunshot wound during the pursuit. Terry was treated and released from a local hospital that evening and is currently being held at the Adams County Detention Facility.

The incident remains under investigation by the Adams County Critical Incident Team, an independent, multi-jurisdictional body comprised of law enforcement agencies from across Adams County.