A Denver homicide suspect fled from a highway traffic stop, allegedly fired at pursuing police officers and abandoned multiple “possible hostages” in the vehicle Tuesday morning, authorities said.
A manhunt was launched for the unnamed suspect after he fled into woods surrounding Interstate 70 in central Colorado, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. He’s considered armed and dangerous, with cops warning everyday citizens to call 911 if they spot him.
Deputies in Eagle County, which includes the ski town of Vail, spotted the suspect speeding west on I-70 Tuesday morning, “possibly accompanied by hostages,” and began pursuing him. When he refused to pull over, cops deployed a spike strip to stop his vehicle.
Two people then exited the car, at least one of whom was carrying a gun, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office said. The suspect exchanged shots with police, and one of the people was wounded while the other fled, authorities said.
Cops then “contacted” the other people in the vehicle but did not release more information about them. The wounded person was transported to a hospital. Their condition was not released.
Authorities said they would reveal more information about the case at an afternoon press conference.
A 30-mile stretch of I-70, the main highway through Colorado, was closed throughout Tuesday morning, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. The highway was closed from Glenwood Springs to Gypsum.
