Autopsy finds drugs in suspect shot by police
LAKEWOOD - Autopsy results found a trio of illegal drugs in the blood of Eugene Velarde, who was shot and killed at Sloan’s Lake as he ran from Lakewood police June 10.
The report, which verified Velarde was shot twice, said an analysis indicated the presence of amphetamine, cocaine and opiates in Velarde’s system.
Velarde, who has a lengthy police record, was pronounced dead at 6:44 p.m., about 15 minutes after he was shot by an LPD officer who had tried to stop and question Velarde because the suspect reportedly brandished a gun during an argument at a Lakewood liquor store a short time earlier.
The Denver Medical Examiner’s Office said Velarde died of gunshot wounds at St. Anthony’s Central Hospital. The hospital is just a few hundred yards from where the suspect was shot by a Lakewood policeman after a car and foot chase. The handgun was found next to his body, Denver police said.
Denver police are investigating the incident because the shooting occurred just inside that city. Denver’s District Attorney’s Office will review the DPD investigators’ findings.
The Lakewood officer and his partner both were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in such cases, said Steve Davis, Lakewood Police spokesman.
The incident began in the parking lot of a liquor store at 65 S. Sheridan Boulevard when Velarde and his wife, Marie, got into a verbal confrontation with a man walking across the parking lot near their mini-van.
“When that man walked up to the driver’s window, he could see that the male driver (Velarde) had a gun in his hand,” Davis said. “The guy backed off and went into the store” and called police.
Velarde left the parking lot before police arrived, but two LPD officers in an unmarked police vehicle spotted Velarde’s vehicle near W. 12th and Sheridan. The officers attempted to stop the van using their flashing lights and siren, but Velarde tried to evade them.
“It was a pursuit that didn’t last for long. It did go into the City and County of Denver for a little bit, then came back west onto Sheridan,” Davis said.
Velarde turned north on Sheridan, but made a wide U-turn at W. 17th Avenue and rammed the pursuing LPD vehicle, said Sonny Jackson, Denver Police spokesman.
After the collision, the suspect jumped from his vehicle and ran north through the park between the lake and Sheridan Boulevard.
“One of the officers, a female officer who was in the passenger seat, was unable to open her door,” Davis said. “The other officer, who was driving, exited his vehicle and the suspect got out of his van, meantime and started running toward Sloan’s Lake.”
The shooting took place soon after the foot chase began.
Davis said the handgun found in the grass next to the body belonged to Velarde.
Investigators had not determined whether the suspect fired at the pursuing officer.
Jackson said Denver Police would release no further information about the shooting.
Velarde has a criminal record that includes drug, forgery and DUI arrests. He served time in prison on a drug conviction and reportedly walked away from a Community Corrections program a month ago.
Velarde’s wife will not charges in connection with the parking-lot threat that started the incident or the car chase that ensued as Lakewood police tried to stop the van the two were fleeing in, a Denver police spokesman said.
