One Dead in Overnight Officer-Involved Shooting That Closed Santa Fe

Update: There have been new developments in the overnight shooting on Santa Fe Drive. Get the details in our post headlined "Two Women Shot by Police in Santa Fe Carjacking: One Dead, One Critical." Continue for our previous coverage.

A car-jacking in Littleton prompted a police chase that crossed multiple jurisdictions before culminating in an exchange of gunfire in Denver that left one suspect dead and another injured. Part of northbound Santa Fe Drive, where the shooting took place, remains closed at this writing.

Officer Marika Putnam, the on-call public-information officer for the Denver Police Department, provides the latest details.

"There was an aggravated motor vehicle theft at approximately midnight in Littleton," Putnam says. "Later, officers with the Littleton Police Department observed the same vehicle and a stop was attempted."

This effort didn't end the incident, which was only getting started.

"A pursuit began and went northbound on Santa Fe, crossing into Englewood — and the Englewood Police Department got involved," Putnam notes.

Shortly thereafter, the vehicles crossed the Denver city line, at which point the stolen car "crashed at Bannock and Arkansas, and shots were fired," Putnam goes on. "No officers were hit, but two parties in the vehicle were struck."

One of the suspects was pronounced dead, while the other was transported to an area hospital. Putnam can't confirm the specific medical facility, but the emergency entrance at Denver Health was jammed with police vehicles from multiple jurisdictions at approximately 4:20 a.m.

Putnam confirms that "Englewood and Littleton officers were involved, but Denver is taking the lead on the officer-involved shooting part, since that occurred in Denver."

Investigators are currently on the scene, and Putnam notes that Santa Fe northbound is closed at Iowa. She adds that the inquiry "is still active and ongoing, and we probably won't have more details until later today."