WESTMINSTER, Colo. (KDVR) — A deputy was stabbed serving an eviction, leading to an hours-long barricade that ended with an officer’s injury during the suspect’s arrest.
The suspect was later taken into custody Friday and was transported to a hospital “with self-inflicted injuries,” according to a 6:07 p.m. post from the Westminster Police Department.
The deputy had to have surgery but is expected to be OK. The officer who was injured during the arrest was not hurt by the suspect and also is expected to be OK.
Westminster SWAT had been on the scene at West 121st Avenue and Zuni Street after the barricaded suspect allegedly assaulted a deputy. Negotiators had been in contact with the female suspect on and off since 12:45 p.m. Friday.
Westminster Police said the Adams County Sheriff’s Office was at the Brodie Apartments, near the intersection of North Federal Parkway and North Zuni Street, to serve an eviction notice when the deputy was stabbed.
One of the apartment’s occupants, an adult female, lunged at an Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputy, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries, Westminster Senior Police Officer Ray Esslinger said. The deputy was transported to a local hospital.
“What we were told is that it’s some type of knife and that’s all we know at this point,” Esslinger said.
A neighbor told FOX31 she saw eviction notices for weeks on the suspect’s door but never thought something like this would happen.
As of 12:59 p.m., area schools were “placed on secure,” according to Westminster Police. At 2:30 p.m., officers advised that Academy Charter School and Flatirons Academy remained on secure but that parents had been alerted and would receive information on how students would be released.
Esslinger said a Lookout Alert was sent to the area to warn residents of the apartment building. The apartment management company is working to provide a place for residents to spend the nights if the situation isn’t resolved.
The Brodie’s offices will be open all night to answer questions from residents.
He also said there was a possibility that the suspect had bomb-making materials in her apartment, and the bomb squad responded out of an abundance of caution. There was no update on that possibility as of Friday evening.
The suspect could face a count of assaulting a police officer at minimum.
FOX31’s Ashley Michels and Gabby Easterwood contributed reporting.