Officer, suspect killed in a shootout after a traffic stop in Cortez

Thanks for Reading! Don't miss this deal

$1 for 6 Months of Standard Digital Access

A Cortez police officer and a suspect were killed in a shootout following a traffic stop in southwest Colorado on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Jim Hucks

CORTEZ — A police officer and a suspect were killed in a shootout following a traffic stop in southwest Colorado on Wednesday, authorities said.

Police say the officer, whose name has not been released, was shot after pulling over a vehicle shortly before noon in the rural town of Cortez in the Four Corners region, where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado meet. The suspects fled in their vehicle, and shots were exchanged with police a short time later.

One of the suspects was shot and died at the scene. Another was taken into custody.

The injured police officer was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.

No other information has been released.

Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.

View more on The Denver Post