(FeaturedHeadlines.com) Police in Denver, Colorado shot and killed a 52-year-old potential illegal immigrant after the individual came at them with a knife on June 16, 2024. The individual, Miguel Tapia, was biologically male but identified as a woman, prompting journalists to question the police department about whether Tapia’s gender identity played a role in the shooting.
Police said that they were forced to shoot Tapia after he disobeyed orders to drop a hunting knife and advanced on officers. The officers unsuccessfully attempted to incapacitate Tapia using a taser before resorting to lethal force.
Tapia spoke Spanish during the incident, telling officers to kill him, police said. Officers shouted instructions to Tapia in both English and Spanish during the incident.
During a press conference on the shooting, journalists asked whether the fact that Tapia identified as a woman, as well as the fact that he was homeless, influenced officers’ actions. Police said that the decision was not rooted in such factors, but rather, by the fact that Tapia aggressively approached officers with a weapon.
Police also said at the press conference that Tapia might be an illegal immigrant. Tapia’s immigration status has yet to be confirmed as of this writing.
Activists shared records online indicating that Tapia may have been previously convicted for crimes against children as well. Police declined to comment on Tapia’s criminal history, noting that people can search for such information themselves.
However, police are struggling to find Tapia’s next of kin. Police said that it is unusual not to be able to locate next of kin or friends of a deceased individual, adding that they will continue to try to find Tapia’s family and inform them about the incident.
The incident is under investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado State Patrol. The two officers involved in the shooting were placed on modified duty while investigators review the matter.
Although some aspects of the shooting remain unclear, the incident raises potential concerns about the presence of criminal immigrants in the country and the impact of transgenderism on mental stability, both of which can put officers in harm’s way.
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