Woman in SUV pulls gun, fatally shot by Westminster Officer N. Adams

Westminster police on Friday released an officer’s body camera video from a fatal police shooting.

On July 25, Officer N. Adams, on routine patrol, contacted a woman driving a silver SUV that was stopped in the east turn lane on West 88th Avenue, near Lamar Street, according to Westminster Police Department news release. The SUV was facing westbound, in the wrong direction.

The woman, who was not identified in the news release, was the only person in the vehicle.

At first, the woman didn’t roll down her window when Adams approached the SUV, body camera footage reveals. When she did roll down the window, the woman was unresponsive to Adams’ questions.

“After several attempts to speak with the driver, she produced a handgun,” the release said. “Adams attempted to grab the driver’s arm and then disengaged, drew his gun and fired at the driver, hitting her.”

In the video, two shots can be heard as Adams backs away from the SUV, then Adams fires two shots, the first breaking a window in the SUV.

The woman was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, police said in an earlier release.

An investigation into the shooting, by the 17th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team, made up of investigators from law enforcement agencies in Adams and Broomfield counties, is ongoing. Adams is on paid administrative leave – per department policy.

Police released the video Friday to help “provide a better understanding of what occurred” and to “build trust with our community by demonstrating transparency and accountability.”

The video, which contains graphic images, “may be difficult to watch,” police warn — viewer discretion is advised.

 

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