Colorado State Patrol officials on Monday released body-worn camera footage of the ambush shooting of Cpl. Tye Simcox on U.S. 36 near Westminster.
Simcox was parked between two concrete barriers in the highway’s center median the afternoon of Sept. 7 when CSP officials say Victor Anthony De Santiago, 32, slowed down and began shooting at Simcox from his truck.
Simcox was shot in the arm and quickly left his patrol vehicle, grabbed a rifle from the front seat and returned fire, fatally shooting De Santiago, the footage shows.
The corporal was taken to Denver Health by a responding trooper and is recovering.
“I am extremely blessed to be alive and am very thankful for everyone’s support and prayers,” Simcox said in a statement release by the state patrol.
CSP investigators still do not know why De Santiago targeted Simcox, Col. Matthew Packard said at a news conference Monday.
De Santiago, a Thornton resident with an extensive criminal history in Colorado and California, had previous gang ties, Packard said. None of those ties were to international gangs, he said.
Packard declined to name the gang De Santiago was linked to and added it was not clear whether he was part of a gang at the time of the shooting.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.
Originally Published: