DENVER — A man who was shot and killed during a confrontation with Denver Police officers at a southwest Denver home early Wednesday morning lunged at officers with a large butcher knife without warning, according to a lieutenant with the Denver Police Department (DPD).
Officers initially responded to the 900 block of South Irving Street about 12:50 a.m. on New Year's Day on a report of a disturbance at a home. That's near West Kentucky Avenue and South Federal Boulevard.
The victim told police he rented a room at 901 South Irving and said Gerardo Antonio Conchas-Bustos, who also rents a home there, began arguing with him and assaulted him.
The victim fled the home, and officers contacted him near South Irving Street and West Mississippi Avenue.
"As the officers were speaking with the victim, they could see he had visible injuries," Lt. Matt Clark with DPD said. "He had a contusion, a knot on his forehead. He had a bloody nose and small laceration on his hand."
The victim said he fled the home to avoid the suspect but was followed. He also said Conchas-Bustos was armed with a large butcher knife and that two women were at the home, Clark said. The victim was cooperative but said he didn't want to press charges.
DPD officers agreed to go to the home with the victim for what they called a "civil standby" and to perform a welfare check of the women, Clark said.
Officers gained access to the home through the victim, who had a key, but announced themselves as police in English and Spanish and got no response.
As the officers made their way through the home, they were confronted by Conchas-Bustos without warning near the entry to the attached garage, according to Clark.
"A male subject, suddenly without any prior warning emerges and begins to lunge directly toward the officers," Clark said. "We believe he was at or near the top of the stairs [leading to the basement] coming through the threshold."
The officers said Conchas-Bustos was holding a large knife with the blade up. One officer discharged his weapon while moving to avoid being stabbed, Clark said.
"I mean, they were right on top of each other," Clark said. "I think we're very fortunate that the officer was not assaulted with a knife."
A second officer also fired one shot. The first officer fired five shots. Conchas-Bustos was struck and died at the scene.
Both officers are on administrative leave. Their names were not released. One was hired by DPD in 2015, the other has worked with DPD since 2016.
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