Police: Lakewood cop shoots armed 'suicidal' man in apartment parking lot

LAKEWOOD -- A Lakewood police officer shot a "suicidal" armed man in a Lakewood apartment parking lot Wednesday night, police said.

Police Lt. Chris Lawler said they received a call at about 7:20 p.m. of "a suicidal male" at the Morningtree Park Apartments at 8101 83rd Avenue Southwest. The caller said the man was going to get a gun and was suicidal, Lawler said.

At 7:35 p.m., a police officer pulled into the apartment complex and was waiting for other officers to arrive, Lawler said, when he was confronted by the man in the parking lot.

"The officer put out on the radio that the subject had a gun and shots were fired," Lawler said. "Multiple officers responded and the subject was taken into custody. A handgun was discovered next to the suspect."

The man suffered at least one gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital, Lawler said, but his condition was not immediately known.

Lawler said the officer who fired his gun is a 41-year-old man with 13.5 years of law enforcement experience.