As the city of Denver celebrated its first NBA championship, a police sergeant providing security for players riding on a fire truck was run over as people at a victory parade moved into the street, officials said Thursday.
Chief of Police Ron Thomas told reporters a SWAT sergeant who had been following the truck was in surgery after his left leg was run over and he had to be extricated from under the vehicle.
The officer was trying to protect parade-goers who had gone around barriers when he moved close to the fire truck and it rolled over his leg, trapping him, the chief said.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock identified the officer as Sgt. Justin Dodge.
"As of this time he is in stable condition. He does have a severe limb-threatening injury," Dr. Stephen Wolf, director of emergency medicine at Denver Health, said at the news conference. Later, he added, "We can't say necessarily what the outcome will be," but surgeons would do "everything possible to preserve the leg."
About an hour later, as crowds left downtown, two people suffered serious gunshot wounds, the chief said.
Officials said the shooting victims were in serious condition.
Early evidence indicates the shooting was a targeted attack that was "completely unassociated to the parade" and the three people involved were acquainted, the chief added.
Police have surveillance camera images of the suspect, who has not been identified and is not in custody.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Denver field office is assisting with the investigation.
