Thornton police are looking for man who pointed gun at officers

Thornton police on Friday morning fired shots at an armed man who fled officers on foot after crashing a vehicle during a pursuit. The man remained at large, and it’s unknown if he was hit by gunfire.

The incident unfolded about 8:30 a.m., when officers responded to a report of a burglary and felony menacing near East 97th Avenue and Welby Road, police said in a news release.

Officers spotted a suspect who pointed a handgun at them. The suspect ran to a vehicle and drove off, with police in pursuit.

The suspect vehicle crashed near East 115th Avenue

and Colorado Boulevard, and officers tried to take the man into custody when he again pointed a gun, the release said.

Officers fired at the suspect, and he fled on foot into a nearby neighborhood west of the intersection. There the suspect stole a gold Jeep Cherokee. The Jeep was found near East 103rd Avenue and Tenby Lane. Officers looked for the man in that area but didn’t find him.

During the morning, police closed off Colorado Boulevard between 112th Avenue and 115th Avenue, and a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area because of the armed suspect and the shots fired.

Out of an abundance of caution, three elementary schools in the area — Woodglen, Cherry Drive and Explore — were put on security alerts.

The armed suspect was wearing a black hat, black hoodie, white T-shirt and blue jeans.

An investigation into the officers firing their weapons is underway, and police continued to look for the suspect on Friday afternoon.

It’s unknown if the man fired at officers, the news release said.

Anyone with information on the suspect, or his whereabouts, is asked to call 911. Do not approach him; he’s considered armed and dangerous.