Man's Decision to Use Woman as a Human Shield During Tense Standoff With Police May Cost Him His Life

A SWAT officer shot a suspected gunman who took a woman hostage and attempted to use her as a human shield in Denver on Monday, bringing a tense standoff to a dramatic end.

Police told the Daily Mail that "shortly after arriving after 8:30 a.m. at a 7-eleven on the western fringes of the city, the suspect took hostages and appeared to be armed."

The suspect, who was reportedly shot in the torso, was in critical condition on Monday, but no hostages were harmed, KDVR-TV reports.

(Screengrab via KDVR-TV)

Police first got a call about a "suspicious person" and later discovered the gunman. A motive has not yet been established, though a witness claimed that the man attempted to rob the store.

The man reportedly took one of his female hostages outside about an hour into the standoff, trying to use the woman as a human shield. It is unclear how many hostages were being held.

"He also either had a handgun in his hoodie or pretended to have a handgun in his hoodie, according to the spokesperson," the Daily Mail adds.

When the man realized he couldn't escape, he tried to "drag the female back into the store." A SWAT officer then fired an accurate shot, allowing officers to detain him.

Five schools in the area were placed on lockdown while police worked to end the standoff, according to KDVR-TV.

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