Authorities identified the man who died as 48-year-old Barry Michael Sullivan; the officer is on leave pending review.
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — A Saturday encounter that began in Edgewater ended with bullets in a Wheat Ridge driveway after an SUV smashed into a garage and a passenger pulled a gun, investigators said. The passenger, identified as Barry Michael Sullivan, 48, died days later. The Edgewater officer was not injured.
The case has moved to a formal review by the First Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, which handles police shootings in Jefferson County. The timeline spans two cities and includes a nonpursuit contact attempt, two crashes and gunfire near Pierce Street and West 32nd Avenue. Police say the SUV’s driver, Amber Michelle O’Neal, 36, was treated for minor injuries and jailed on preexisting warrants. A motorist in a Honda Pilot struck at the intersection was also treated. Officials have not released the Edgewater officer’s name, citing the ongoing investigation.
Edgewater police said the sequence started around 10:30 a.m. Saturday when an officer saw a GMC Yukon near West 24th Avenue and Pierce Street in Edgewater. The officer tried to contact the driver but did not initiate a pursuit when the Yukon sped away. About eight minutes later, in Wheat Ridge, the Yukon collided with a Honda Pilot at West 32nd Avenue and Pierce Street, then kept going and crashed into a residential garage just north of that corner. As the officer approached to check on those involved, Sullivan got out of the Yukon, retrieved a handgun and fired at the officer, who returned fire and struck him, police said. Medics took Sullivan to a hospital in critical condition; he later died.
Investigators said O’Neal was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on unrelated warrants for third-degree assault, vehicular eluding and resisting arrest. Court records reviewed by reporters show those warrants stem from earlier cases outside Saturday’s incident. The injured Honda driver was evaluated and released. Authorities have not detailed how many shots were fired, the type of firearm recovered at the garage, or the precise distance between Sullivan and the officer at the time of the exchange. Police said those specifics will be part of the Critical Incident Response Team’s evidence review. The officer’s body-worn camera footage, if available, has not yet been publicly released.
Wheat Ridge is a first-ring suburb northwest of Denver; it borders Edgewater along Pierce Street. That boundary helps explain why the case crossed jurisdictions within minutes. In Jefferson County, the Critical Incident Response Team typically collects interviews, video and forensic evidence before presenting a case file to the district attorney. Findings in past reviews are published once prosecutors conclude whether the use of force was legally justified. Meanwhile, Edgewater Police placed the officer on paid administrative leave, which departments routinely do after shootings to preserve the integrity of the investigation and allow for internal review.
Next steps include scene diagramming of the two vehicle crashes, firearm testing and interviews with nearby residents who heard or witnessed the exchange near the damaged garage. Prosecutors will receive the investigative packet once the Critical Incident Response Team completes its work. No charges have been announced in connection with the shooting itself. Wheat Ridge police will manage the crash investigation and any traffic-related citations. Officials did not provide a date for the release of additional information but said updates are expected after initial witness interviews and evidence reviews are complete.
On the block near the crash site, neighbors said they heard the crunch of metal, followed by two quick shots and shouting. By early afternoon, yellow tape ringed the driveway as detectives photographed the garage door and driveway debris. Tire marks curved from the intersection toward the alley, and tow operators loaded the Yukon as officers directed drivers around Pierce Street. Residents said the noise drew people to porches and sidewalks while investigators worked through the cold, clearing the scene as daylight faded.
As of Tuesday, Sullivan’s autopsy had not been released, and the officer’s name remained withheld under investigative policy. Officials said they would announce the next public update after initial interviews conclude this week. The Critical Incident Response Team report will go to the district attorney upon completion for a decision on the use of force.
Author note: Last updated January 27, 2026.