Teen girl killed in shootout with Lakewood police following robbery

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KKTV) - A teenager was killed and a police officer injured in a shootout in Lakewood Monday afternoon.

The Lakewood Police Department says the incident started when a mailman was robbed at gunpoint by two teen girls. He had been making the rounds on his usual route when he was accosted.

“The whole situation is tragic, but I am thankful for the police response,” the postal worker told 11 News sister station CBS Denver.

He said that after the robbery, he went to a nearby home and called 911. The suspects had fled by the time police reached the scene, but one of them was found a block away near a Grease Monkey auto shop.

“The suspect immediately opened fire on our agents and our agents returned fire,” a Lakewood Police Department spokesperson told reporters after the incident.

The suspect and a female officer were both hit while exchanging gunshots. The officer is expected to make a full recovery, but the teen later died at an area hospital.

The postal worker told CBS Denver that he felt bad for the police officers involved in the shootout and “sad about the loss of the child as well because he has so many daughters of his own.” According to CBS Denver, the mail carrier is the father of seven daughters and one son.

The second suspect was later found 30 miles away in the town of Frederick. She was taken into custody by Lakewood police and ATF agents.

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