Police officer killed serving warrant

LIMON, Colo., March 10 (UPI) -- The suspect in the shooting death of a Limon, Colo., police officer shot and killed himself to end a standoff with law enforcement officials, authorities said.

Jay Sheridan, 27, a Limon police officer for 6 1/2 years, was fatally shot Wednesday as he and Lincoln County deputies were trying to serve a fugitive warrant, Colorado State Police said Thursday in a statement.

After shooting Sheridan, the suspect barricaded himself inside part of his home while two officers were confined in another part of the dwelling, a trailer, and called for assistance, police said.

"The fugitive remained barricaded inside the residence for several hours, during which time SWAT teams attempted to negotiate his surrender" before trying to enter the residence, the statement said. "Upon entry the teams found the fugitive with a self-inflicted gunshot wound."

The two officers inside the residence were unharmed, the statement said. More information about the suspect was not in the statement.

"Jay was an outstanding officer and will be greatly missed by his fellow officers and colleagues" Limon Police Chief Lynn Yowell, said.

Jim Hartwig, manager of the Wagon Wheel Mobile Home Park, where the standoff occurred, said the neighborhood was evacuated, The Denver Post reported.

Josh Wiedemann told the Post he heard "a pop and a whiz," and when he went outside to investigate, a law officer armed with a shotgun told him to leave.