Denver officer shot in the leg; police search for shooter

DENVER – An officer in Colorado was shot in the leg and police launched a search for the shooter.

Officers responded late Saturday to a home in Denver on a report of a person on a porch who did not belong there, Division Chief Ron Thomas told reporters early Sunday.

The shooter opened fire on officers at the scene and one officer was shot in the leg, Thomas said. The officer was taken to Denver Health Medical Center in critical condition.

Police were not immediately sure whether the suspect was in custody. Thomas said officers made contact with multiple “individuals of interest” but the investigation was still ongoing.

Authorities set up a perimeter in the area of the shooting in search of the suspect. Residents in the community northwest of downtown were encouraged to stay inside their homes.

The search involving police dogs ended and the area reopened to the public Sunday morning, the Denver Post reported.