The suspect is Wilson Guerra Bravo, 26. He was shot on July 5 near 51st Avenue and Washington Street. He is currently recovering at Denver Health Medical Center.
Police have reported that he repeatedly harassed residents in the area. Investigators later found that the area was the former residence of someone Bravo knows.
DPD Major Crimes Division Lieutenant Rich Laber says there were seven 911 calls about him at the address from June 27 to July 5. Officers gave Guerra Bravo a warning during one of those encounters and told him not to come back.
“Despite being told not to return, the subject came back to the residence on multiple occasions. He was reportedly knocking on the door, looking through windows, prompting the residents to call the police several times,” says Laber.
Despite being told not to return to the area, Bravo returned once again on July 5.
According to police, Bravo had a 12-inch knife, and when they ordered him to drop it, he ran away.
Officer body camera footage shows Bravo running away, stopping, and then running toward the officer, who again told him to drop the knife.
The officer then says, “I’m going to shoot you,” and fires six rounds. DPD did not know how many bullets hit Bravo. He fell to the ground and began exclaiming in Spanish.
Police Chief Ron Thomas says there is no department policy regarding what to do when officers are approached by someone wielding a knife.
“There really is no department policy related to someone reacting to an imminent deadly threat,” Thomas says of the officer who shot Bravo. “In my opinion, he responded appropriately to that threat.”
Bravo has been charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, a class 2 felony.
The officer who shot Guerra Bravo was assigned to District 1 and has been with the department since 2024. Police said he had not been involved in prior shootings.
He is still working but in a nonactive capacity, meaning he’s not patrolling or answering calls for service.
The incident investigation in question is still ongoing. It is currently being investigated by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado State Patrol, the Denver Police Department’s homicide unit, and the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
Photo courtesy of UnSplash
