Colorado State Patrol trooper injured in shooting on Highway 36; gunman dead

U.S. 36 was closed in both directions between Federal Boulevard and Sheridan Boulevard Saturday afternoon.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. — A gunman is dead after shooting a state trooper on Highway 36 Saturday afternoon, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) said.

CSP said at around 1:18 p.m. Saturday, a trooper was doing paperwork in his marked patrol vehicle in the median on Highway 36 eastbound, just west of Federal Boulevard.

While in his vehicle, CSP said, someone drove past him and fired several shots at him, with a single round striking the trooper. The driver then pulled over on the inside shoulder, got out of the car and began to fire more rounds at the windshield of the patrol vehicle, according to CSP.

CSP said the trooper, identified as Corporal Tye Simcox, got out of his vehicle with his rifle and fired, shooting the gunman. The gunman was pronounced dead at the scene, and Simcox was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the forearm. He has been released from the hospital.

Simcox is a 16-year-CSP veteran, the agency said. Col. Matthew Packard, the chief of CSP, praised Simcox’s heroism and courage.

“Our member was targeted today by a man that intended to kill him,” Packard said at a news conference. “And that is shocking and unacceptable. But our Colorado State Trooper responded appropriately and swiftly and courageously and he won today. And by winning not only did he save his own life but he saved the rest of his community from someone that was clearly intending to do evil.”

17th Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason said the fact that Simcox wasn’t killed is “miraculous.”

“This trooper had absolutely no warning whatsoever,” Mason said. “There are cars coming on both sides of the highway. There would be no reason for this trooper to ever anticipate that one of those vehicles would slow down and unload his gun into the trooper’s vehicle.”

The gunman’s name has not been released.

Investigators are asking anyone who saw or heard anything or who has damage to their car from gunfire to call police.