Local
Lakewood Officer Nicholas Graham, 33, Killed in RTD Bus Shootout; Memorial Grows as Community Mourns
Lakewood police Agent Nicholas Graham, 33, was killed and three other officers wounded in a Thursday night shootout aboard an RTD bus after a hit-and-run suspect opened fire near Colfax and Wadsworth. A growing memorial outside the Lakewood Police Department honors Graham, a seven-year veteran of the Major Crimes Unit credited with helping solve more than 300 cases.
LAKEWOOD â A makeshift memorial of flowers, candles, cards and stuffed animals continued to grow outside the Lakewood Police Department on Friday, a day after a shootout aboard an RTD bus killed one officer and wounded three others.
The fallen officer was identified as Nicholas Graham, 33, a seven-year member of the department who worked in its Major Crimes Unit. Police Chief Philip Smith, speaking at a Friday news conference, said Graham had helped solve more than 300 cases during his time with the agency.
Addressing Graham's family, Smith said, "We know that words cannot ease the heartbreak of your loss."
Grieving residents and fellow law enforcement officers visited the memorial throughout Friday, some moved to tears. Kevin Smith, a safety officer with JeffCo Public Schools, wore a black mourning band across his badge as he paid his respects.
"Law enforcement is a community. When one department suffers, we all suffer," he said.
According to Lakewood police, the violence unfolded after a hit-and-run earlier Thursday afternoon. An officer spotted the suspect near Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard at 6:29 p.m. and, after confirming the person's identity, called for backup.
Several officers responded and tried to contact the suspect, who turned and fired multiple rounds at the approaching officers, police said. The first shots-fired call came at about 6:32 p.m., followed by an officer-down call one minute later.
Officers returned fire and killed the suspect, whose identity has not been released. A bystander was also injured in the exchange.
Two of the three surviving officers were released from the hospital Friday morning; the third remained hospitalized. Chief Smith said all three are expected to recover.
The Lakewood Police Department is investigating the suspect's actions, while the First Judicial District Attorney's Office is overseeing the investigation into the officers' use of force.
Graham joined the department in 2019. In an official portrait released by the agency, he is shown smiling in his dark blue uniform against a backdrop of the American flag.
The loss reverbered through the broader law enforcement community, with officers from other agencies among those stopping by the memorial.
As of Friday evening, the department had not announced funeral arrangements.