Two Louisville officers hospitalized after being shot during a traffic stop of a stolen vehicle | Law Enforcement Today

LOUISVILLE, KY - Authorities are investigating after two police officers with the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) were shot while conducting a traffic stop on a car that had been reported stolen. The injured officers were identified as Officers Laxman Acharya and Brendan Koerner.

According to Fox News, the incident took place on Tuesday, November 19th, in the Louisville's Smoketown neighborhood, around 8:00 p.m. when officers from the Fourth Division stopped a stolen car in the 400 block of Roselane Street. During a news conference, LMPD Deputy Chief Col. Emily McKinley said that multiple people were in the car when one of the occupants began struggling over a firearm with the two officers.

Both officers and a suspect were shot during the altercation. One of the officers was shot in the hand and the other was shot in the leg. Neither of their injuries were life-threatening. The officers were taken to University of Louisville Hospital. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was taken to Jewish Hospital and remains in stable condition. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg joined the news conference to share with the public that he had been to the hospital to visit both officers. He said they are "in good spirits and on the road to recovery."

He added, "I want to give a giant thanks to both officers and everyone on LMPD who goes [sic] above and beyond every day to work to keep all of us safe throughout the entire community." He also thanked the hospital where both officers were treated for its "tremendous work." McKinley said that investigation is ongoing.

The suspect was identified as 19-year-old Jeremiah Thompson, who was arrested for disharging a firearm at the officers. 

In Denver, Colorado, an armed suspect was fatally shot by a Littleton police officer. According to KDVR, the officer attempted to make a traffic stop of a speeding car at 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 19th at West Boulevard and Keenland Court. The officer first observed the speeding vehicle around 2:30 a.m., but they did not initiate a traffic stop "out of an abundance of caution for citizen safety," as noted by the Littleton Police Department (LPD). However, the officer did notify neighboring jurisdictions of the vehicle and which was it was headed.

Around 3:00 a.m., the same officer saw the same vehicle speeding again. This time, the officer did attempt to initiate the stop. Police said the suspect, a 35-year-old man, exited the vehicle and tired to flee on foot, prompting the officer to begin a pursuit. 

The suspect then allegedly fired "several rounds" at the officer, who returned fire, injuring the suspect. The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition and later died. Police also took into custody a female passenger from the suspect's vehicle. She was later arrested on several outstanding felony warrants that police said were unrelated to the shooting incident.