Denver Police Release Video of Fatal Officer Shooting in Five Points

Denver police officers shot and killed a 52-year-old armed man at a Five Points intersection last week after Tasers failed to stop the person from approaching police while holding a 7-inch knife. inches, according to department officials and body-worn camera footage released Tuesday.

Denver Police Department officials initially said the person killed by officers on June 16 was a woman. The Denver medical examiner's office this week identified the person as Miguel Tapia.

Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said Tuesday that Tapia is transgender and would be homeless. He said department officials were unable to locate Tapia's family members to inform them of their deaths. Tapia was identified using his fingerprints.

“I want to acknowledge the tragedy of this death and also our deep regret that despite significant efforts to try to identify next of kin, we have not been able to notify the family as we would have liked,” Thomas said at a news briefing.

Denver police officers responded to the intersection of Broadway and Lawrence Street just before noon June 16 after three people called 911 to report someone standing at the intersection with a knife, said Cmdr. . » Matt Clark said Tuesday.

A caller reported that the person, later identified as Tapia, was ordering passing cars to kill them.

Two Denver police officers responded to the area, blocked the intersection and approached Tapia, asking them in English and Spanish to raise their hands.

When Tapia removed a knife from a bag they were carrying, a police officer fired a Taser, which appeared to briefly stop Tapia before they continued walking toward the officer.