Denver police officers fire 36 rounds at Christopher Couch who was holding a 7-Eleven employee hostage, police say.
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Christopher Couch was shot and killed by Denver Police officers this month had carjacked a vehicle that he drove to a 7-Eleven, where he held two employees hostage in a locked office, police said at a news conference Wednesday.
Four officers responded to several 911 calls about 6:10 p.m. March 1 at the convenience store, at West 5th Avenue and Federal Boulevard, said Denver Police Cmdr. Matt Clark.
The man was threatening two employees inside an office behind the sales counter. Officers yelled at the man to open the door. They could see through a small window in the door that the man was threatening one of the employees with a sharp implement, Clark said.
Denver Police officers shot and killed a man earlier this month after he carjacked a vehicle and then held two employees hostage at a 7-Eleven, according to authorities speaking at a news conference on Wednesday.
The incident unfolded around 6:10 p.m. on March 1 at the convenience store located at West 5th Avenue and Federal Boulevard. Responding to multiple 911 calls, four officers arrived at the scene where the man was threatening the two employees locked in an office behind the sales counter, stated Denver Police Cmdr. Matt Clark.
Officers attempted to communicate with the man and instructed him to open the door. Through a small window in the door, they observed the man wielding a sharp implement and threatening one of the employees, Clark explained.
Using a metal ram, officers forcibly entered the office where they found the man holding the implement to one of the employee’s necks. In a span of 5 seconds, the officers fired 36 rounds at the man, but neither of the employees was injured, Clark confirmed.
The deceased individual was identified as Christopher Couch, who was pronounced dead at a hospital. The weapon he used to threaten the employee was described as a hand tool with a 6-inch shaft typically used for pulling out nails.
Clark disclosed that earlier that evening, Couch had carjacked a vehicle in Lakewood. Police officers pursued him but terminated the chase due to his reckless driving.
Arriving at the 7-Eleven, Couch left the vehicle running in the parking lot and entered the store armed with the sharp implement. He then forced one employee into the office while another was already inside working, Clark recounted.
Several customers managed to escape and alert authorities via 911.
The four officers involved in the shooting have been placed on modified duty pending the outcome of the investigation, as per police statements.