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Denver Officer Shoots Suspect Who Attacked Him With A Hammer

DENVER (CBS4) - Denver police are investigating a shooting Sunday afternoon. An officer shot a suspect after the man allegedly tried to attack the officer.

The shooting happened in the parking lot of the K-Mart near Evans and Federal Boulevard at about 1:30 p.m. Police said the officer was terrified and feared for his life.

The officer was sitting in his marked squad car completing paper work when the suspect came up to his window and tried to attack him with a hammer.

The suspect smashed the driver's side window of the officer's car with the hammer.

The officer fired five times and the suspect was hit at least once in the chest and is listed in critical condition at Denver Health Medical Center.

Shooting Map
(credit: CBS0

Police don't know the suspect's motive for attacking the officer.

The Denver district attorney is now investigating.

"There were witnesses and the officer are being interviewed by Denver police personnel and the district attorney's office," Police spokeswoman Vicki Ferrari said. "We don't have details as to what the reason was. Words were exchanged between the officer and the suspect."

Police have not released the name of the suspect. Police said they believe the suspect might have been suicidal and wanted to get shot. Police said he was carrying a suicide note.

"The suspect had rented a car, parked it in an area. He had not one, but two weapons. One on him; the hammer, and also had the machete in his vehicle and rapidly approached the officer," Ferrari said.

Vennessa Mossman heard the violence outside her front door.

"I heard three or four rounds. It was kind of startling," she said.

The officer was not injured. He's been placed on administrative leave during the investigation.

The suspect is said to have been on parole and has a lengthy criminal record.

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