One person dies in standoff with Elbert County Sheriff's Office deputies Wednesday night

ELBERT COUNTY, Colo. -- A standoff with deputies from the Elbert County Sheriff's Office ended tragically on Wednesday evening when one man died. The incident began around 6:20 p.m. following a 911 call about a domestic dispute on County Road 77.

Upon arrival, deputies attempted to engage with a suspect inside a fifth wheel trailer, who was armed with a handgun. Their efforts to persuade him to exit the trailer while disarmed were unsuccessful, leading deputies to deploy less lethal projectiles. The suspect indicated he was experiencing back pain as a consequence of the interaction.

When the suspect refused to come out, deputies escalated their response by firing pepper ball rounds into the trailer. This prompted the suspect to fire two rounds from his weapon, prompting a return of gunfire from three deputies. An hour of negotiation followed, but the suspect did not respond.

In an effort to assess the situation further, two drones were sent into the trailer through a window, revealing that the suspect was unresponsive on the ground. Elbert County SWAT then intervened and confirmed the suspect was deceased.

Fortunately, no deputies were harmed during the incident. In accordance with departmental policy, the deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave while the 23rd Judicial District’s Critical Incident Response Team investigates the event.