WESTMINSTER, Colo. — The man accused of opening fire on a Colorado State Patrol trooper — who then shot and killed the suspect — on US 36 in Westminster over the weekend has been identified.
The Office of the Coroner Adams & Broomfield Counties said Victor Anthony De Santiago, 32, of Thornton, was killed in the gunfire. He died at the scene, which was along eastbound US 36 near Federal Boulevard in Westminster. The coroner said the manner and cause of death is pending further investigation.
The incident started around 1:18 p.m. Saturday, when Trooper Tye Simcox — a 16-year veteran of CSP — was in his marked patrol vehicle in the center median of US 36 eastbound, west of Federal Boulevard. He was parked in between two concrete barriers working on reporting paperwork when a driver in a black Chevrolet pickup truck slowed as he went by the trooper, and shot several rounds from a semi automatic handgun at the patrol car, CSP Col. Matthew Packard said during a press conference on Saturday.
One round hit Trooper Simcox's arm.
The suspect driver — later identified as Santiago — then pulled over on the shoulder, left his car and began to fire at the windshield of the CSP patrol vehicle, hitting the car several times, Packard said. Simcox returned fire and killed him.
Trooper Simcox applied a tourniquet to his arm until another trooper arrived at the scene. He was then transported to Denver Health Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening. He was released to go home the same day.
Packard said on Saturday that authorities do not yet know why Santiago targeted the trooper.
Watch Saturday's press conference with CSP in the video below.
"I will tell you very directly that our member was targeted today by a man that intended to kill him, and that is shocking and unacceptable, but our Colorado State trooper responded appropriately and swiftly and courageously, and he won today," Packard said. "And by winning, not only did he save his own life, but he saved the rest of this community from someone that was clearly intending to do evil. And I want it to be known that we came out on top today. And that's really, really important, because that's what good does. Good and courageous people win over evil cowardice, and that's what happened today on Highway 36."
Highway 36 was closed between Lowell Boulevard and Federal Boulevard for several hours.
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