AURORA | An Aurora police officer shot and wounded a man in the leg early Sunday during a domestic violence dispute in north Aurora, according to police.
“We have had an officer discharge his firearm and strike a suspect at a domestic violence call in the 1200 block of North Chambers Road,” Aurora interim police Chief Art Acevedo said in a tweet at about 12:30 a.m. Acevedo had been with patrol officers during DUI enforcement planned previously for New Year’s eve.
Police later said that officers were called to the home after a woman there called 911 to report “a domestic violence situation,” Aurora police spokesperson Sgt. Faith Goodrich said in a statement Sunday morning. “When officers arrived on scene they found multiple people at the home, some of whom were uncooperative with the investigation.”
Investigating officers determined there was probable cause to arrest Juan Ruiz-Reta, 38, in connection with the domestic violence complaint.
“As officers tried to place him under arrest, he was uncooperative,” Goodrich said. “During that time, another male became involved, and one of the officers fired their weapon, striking that man in his lower leg.”
Police applied a tourniquet to the man’s leg and called an ambulance, police said.
Neither shooting victim nor the officer were identified.
“The man who was shot was transported to the hospital for medical care,” Goodrich said. “One officer and Ruiz-Reta were also evaluated medically for minor medical complaints.”
Part of Chambers Road was closed during an investigation and the Arapahoe County Critical Incident Response Team was called to investigate. The outside agency investigation is mandated under state law.
The officer who fired a gun was placed on administrative leave, which is the protocol for officer involved shootings.