DENVER – An 86-year-old man died after his own son shot him in the head Tuesday evening in south Denver, police revealed during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
The shooting happened after 10:30 p.m. in the area of South Clermont Street and E. Warren Avenue.
Commander Barb Archer told reporters during a press conference that a man called 911 in Denver from a Lakewood address and told officials that one of his brothers was harassing their 86-year-old father inside a home on South Clermont Street.
When police got to the scene, a man who identified himself as one of the sons of the 86-year-old man inside the home, told an arriving police officer that one of his brothers was threatening their dad with a knife and a gun.
The responding officer “could hear screaming coming from inside” the home and immediately drew his weapon after seeing the suspect standing with a knife and a gun in his hands next to his father, who was lying on a bed in the room, according to Archer.
The officer then reportedly began to order the suspect to put the gun and knife down, but the suspect did not comply. The negotiations went on for approximately six minutes, Archer said.
The suspect then shot his father in the head, at which point the officer then shot the suspect, according to Archer.
Archer said the 86-year-old man died at the scene. He was identified by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner as Quyen Le. The suspect was taken to a hospital where he died of his injuries. He was identified as 52-year-old Peter Le.
No other person, including the officer, was injured from the gunfire.
The officer involved in the shooting has been with the police department for 22 years. He was placed on administrative leave per department policy.
Fourth officer-involved shooting in the Denver area, second for DPD in a week
Tuesday’s shooting marks the fourth officer-involved shooting in the Denver area and the second for DPD in a week.
A Denver officer fatally shot Alex Duran, 29, last Tuesday during a burglary-in-progress call in southwest Denver. The next day, a Brighton police officer shot and injured a suspect during a scuffle. The man was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.
And Saturday night, Troy Michael Jacques, 41, was shot and killed by an Aurora officer after police say the suspect pulled a handgun during a traffic stop.