Spokeswoman Susan Medina of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said one of the other law enforcement officers is undergoing emergency surgery for life-threatening injuries while the third was not seriously hurt. Medina told media it was a “dark day” for law enforcement officials in the state.
The shooting took place at about 9:30 a.m. local time in a wooded area outside of the town of Bailey, Colorado, some 45 miles southwest of Denver. As the 3 Park County officers approached the wooden two-story home the man inside suddenly opened fire with a rifle.
It is unclear if the gunman took his own life of if he was killed by the deputies return fire. The officer killed, who died on scene, was a 12-year law enforcement veteran. Names of those involved have not been released.
Medina was unable to say whether anyone else was in the home or whether another shooter was involved; she did say that the community at large was in no danger. A bomb squad was called in to inspect the home.
While Bailey is considered a peaceful community, a decade ago it was also the scene of violence. In 2006, a 53-year-old man, not from the town, took some high-school girls hostage in a classroom. He sexually assaulted them and killed one before turning his gun on himself.
