Colorado state trooper shot in targeted attack while parked on side of highway; kills suspect

A Colorado state trooper was shot and wounded in a senseless, “targeted” attack while parked on the side of a highway Saturday and still managed to kill the suspect in a shootout, authorities said.

Cpl. Tye Simcox encountered “evil” when the gunman randomly began firing on the 16-year state law enforcement vet as he slowly drove by the officer’s patrol car parked in the median of Highway 36 in the Denver suburb of Westminster.

The gunman continued his brazen shooting with a semi-automatic handgun after he pulled his Chevrolet pickup truck over to the left side of the highway and got out of his car, chief of the state patrol, Matthew Packard, said during a press conference.

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“Our trooper exited his patrol car and immediately began to return fire … and was able to strike and ultimately kill the suspect that was attacking him,” Packard said, noting Simcox used his rifle during the shootout.

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Simcox was struck in the lower right arm and applied a tourniquet to the gunshot wound before he was taken to the hospital. He was released later Saturday.

“Our member was targeted today by a man that intended to kill him and that is shocking and unacceptable,” Packard said.

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“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 this community from someone that clearly intended to do evil.”

The identity of the suspect was not yet released by authorities.

Packard emphatically praised his trooper.

“He looked at the face of evil and responded appropriately and won,” he said.

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