Man Killed By Deputies Identified, Deputy Remains In Critical Condition
PARKER, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in Parker and deputies the Douglas County Sheriff's Office responded to a man with a gun in a neighborhood on Friday afternoon. Shots were fired, one deputy was critically hurt and the suspect was killed by another officer.
The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Randall Rodick. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is not releasing a phot oof Rodick.
The sheriff's office tweeted out an update on the situation with the suicidal man shortly after 4 p.m.
A witness told CBS4's Lauren DiSpirito that a man with a gun crashed his RV and fired at him and other people.
Another woman told CBS4 that she heard four gunshots while trying to pick up her granddaughter from school.
Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock identified the wounded deputy as Detective Dan Brite. He suffered critical injuries and was rushed to the hospital where he was in surgery. On Saturday the sheriff's office said Brite remained in critical condition.
"We are asking for continued prayers for Detective Brite during this critical time in his recovery, and for his wife Christine and their family, as well as all the officers involved in this situation. These situations are difficult for any law enforcement officer," Spurlock said in a statement. "The suspect was highly armed and extremely dangerous and it is clear to me these officers likely prevented a larger scale incident which could have endangered more officers and citizens had he not been stopped. I'm very proud of them."
Brite has worked for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office for 2½ years. He is married to a sergeant in the sheriff's office. Spurlock said their children are with family members.
"The most important part for me right now is that Detective Brite comes out of this okay and we can get him home with his family," said Spurlock. "The power of prayer is important and I think it can help him, he's in critical condition and we need to do whatever we can."
Copter4 flew over a crashed RV near Parker Adventist Hospital where officers had gathered around the shooting scene where the suspect was killed.
The officer who shot and killed Rodick was dressed in plain clothes instead of a uniform.
"It may have appeared that there were civilians out there but they were detectives in plain clothes and it was a police officer that engaged him," said Spurlock.
Spurlock said that Rodick was known to officers.
The situation started about an hour earlier at a home off Dixon Drive located north of Sierra Middle School as Parker police tweeted out an update on the situation.
Investigators said there was a man inside that home who was suicidal and SWAT crews gathered outside to try to coax him out. Officers tried to contain him but Spurlock said Rodick fired on officers and struck Brite.
Rodick away in an RV, crashed and started shooting at law enforcement again. That's when the officer shot and killed the suspect.
"As I'm literally driving by I see the guy come out and pull out a gun and fire a shot," said witness Shawn Rubadue.
Spurlock said that no one in the home was injured.
Copter4 flew over what appeared to be a garage near the home where a portion of the fence was knocked down.
Sierra Middle School was placed on lockout along with eight other schools in the Douglas County School district. No students were hurt. The lockout for all schools was lifted just before 4 p.m.
"When I first came out, I saw all the SWAT with all the guns and thought, 'Oh, man ... this is a big deal,'" said student Naiah Ackerman.
Some parents waited about two hours to pick up their children.
