Denver police release more information on the man they killed Wednesday

This is the description of events yesterday in the 2600 block of West Bates Avenue.
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A crime scene after an officer-involved shooting near Bates and Bryant, southwest Denver, on Aug. 31, 2016. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite) crime scene; police; denver; colorado; kevinjbeaty; college view; south platte;

A crime scene after an officer-involved shooting near Bates and Bryant, southwest Denver, on Aug. 31, 2016. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

This is the description of events yesterday in the 2600 block of West Bates Avenue:

Denver police went to a home in southwest Denver's College View-South Platte neighborhood to arrest a 21-year-old man with outstanding warrants who was reportedly in possession of a stolen car, Denver police Commander Barb Archer said.

The Office of the Medical Examiner identified the man Thursday afternoon as Michael Ferguson. Court records show open warrants for assault on a police officer, vehicular eluding, resisting arrest and reckless driving out of Summit County related to a July 29 incident, as well as a misdemeanor theft charge.

The officers were let into the home and told the suspect was in a back bedroom. When they got to the bedroom, the man had gone out the window, but other officers were waiting for him in the street. Archer said both groups of officers were chasing the man.

Archer said police had blocked in the stolen car so that it couldn't be used to drive away. The man tried to escape first in the stolen car and then in a police cruiser before trying to run away on foot, Archer said.

One officer tackled the man, at which point they began to struggle on the ground. Archer characterized this struggle as "very aggressive" and involving multiple officers. At some point, Archer said the man tried to get  the service weapon of one of the officers. In that struggle, the gun went off, and then another officer shot and killed the man.

Archer said they are still trying to figure out if the man was hit by the gun that went off in the struggle. She declined to say how many times the man was shot.

Denver police have not named the officer involved in the shooting. He is an 11-year veteran of the force, and he will be on paid administrative leave during the investigation, which is normal procedure.

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