Suspect killed by police identified as Lakewood man
LAKEWOOD – A man shot and killed at Sloan’s Lake as he ran from Lakewood police earlier this week was identified as Eugene Velarde, 25 of Lakewood.
Velarde was pronounced dead at 6:44 p.m., just 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 “multiple gunshot wounds” at St. Anthony’s Central Hospital, which is just a few hundred yards from where the suspect was shot by a Lakewood policeman following a car and foot chase Wednesday evening. A handgun was found next to his body, Denver police said.
Denver police are investigating the incident because the shooting occurred just inside that city. The Denver District Attorney’s Office will review he 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 an argument broke out between a man walking through the parking lot, Velarde and a woman who was with Velarde in a mini-van in the parking lot.
“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 drove away from the liquor before police arrived, but two Lakewood officers in an unmarked SUV soon spotted the vehicle near W. 12th and Sheridan. The officers attempted to stop the van using their flashing lights and siren, but the 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.
”We found a weapon next to the suspect in the grass,” Davis said.
Investigators had not determined whether the suspect fired at the pursuing officer.
“Obviously he felt there was enough of a threat to shoot,” Davis said.
Neither officer was injured in the collision.
The woman who was with Velarde was detained for questioning, but Davis said he does not believe she will be charged with a crime in Lakewood.
“It does not appear she did anything culpable in this,” Davis said.
But Jackson said Denver investigators have not decided whether the unidentified woman will face charges there.
