Police identify fallen Colorado officer killed in shootout that left suspect dead, 4 injured

article The Lakewood Police Department identified their fallen officer as Agent Nicholas Graham, 33, who was killed in the line of duty Thursday night during a shootout with a suspect on a city bus. (Photo: Lakewood Police Department) The Brief Lakewood Police Officer Nic Graham, 33, was shot and killed, and three other officers and a bystander were injured during an exchange of gunfire on a city bus approximately 5 miles west of downtown Denver. Police have not identified the man who exchanged bullets with police in the incident and was fatally shot as well. All but one of the three people hurt, a law enforcement officer, have been released from area hospitals. LAKEWOOD, Co. - Authorities in Colorado have identified the police officer who was shot to death Thursday night in an exchange of gunfire with a suspect on a city bus that left four other people hurt. What we know: Lakewood police identified the officer as 33-year-old Nic Graham, who joined the department of 2019. Graham’s father recently retired from police work while his mother worked in a crime lab, according to Lakewood Police Chief Philip Smith. Graham was involved in 322 cases, the biggest caseload of the department’s major crimes team, Smith told the Associated Press. Three other officers and a bystander, possibly a passenger on the bus, were injured during the gunfire. Most victims have been released from the hospital as of Friday, authorities said. What they're saying: Smith said the officer was awarded for gang intelligence work, investigative support and helping with major investigations into false emergency calls in 2023. "His accomplishments tell us what he did. The gratitude of those he helped tells us how much his service mattered," Smith said, calling him "a dependable teammate." "Our hearts are with Nick's family, friends and everyone whose life he touched," the department said on its Facebook page. "We are forever grateful for his service, his sacrifice and the privilege of serving alongside him. Rest in peace, Agent Graham. You will never be forgotten." Dozens of law enforcement officers and first responders gathered Thursday night outside a hospital after the shooting. A bagpiper played "Amazing Grace" ahead of a procession of police vehicles escorted Graham’s body to the coroner’s office. Residents of the area created a makeshift memorial on the hood of a police SUV outside the police department. "Law enforcement put their lives on the line for our safety every day," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. "Thank you to law enforcement who run into danger to keep us safe and to protect our communities." The backstory: Graham was one of four officers who responded at approximately 6:30 p.m. MT to a report of a suspicious man who was possibly involved in an earlier hit-and-run attempting to board a city bus, Lakewood Police spokesman John Romero said during a Thursday night briefing. The intersection where the shooting happened is about 5 miles west of downtown Denver. Lakewood Police responded at approximately 6:30 p.m. MT to a report of a suspicious person who was attempting to board a Denver Regional Transport District bus. When police made contact, a shootout began, leaving the man and one officer dead and four Expand Teddy O’Brien, a driver stopped at a nearby red light told the AP that after several police cars surrounded the bus, officers converged on the bus. "As soon as they get onto the bus on the other side, shots just start ringing out from both sides," O’Brien said in a phone interview. "During the gunfight, four Lakewood police agents were hit by fire," Romero said. "We are very sorry to report that one of those agents has been pronounced dead of their injuries." What we don't know: Police have not released the name of the suspect who was killed. Lakewood Police confirmed one of the three wounded officers remained in the hospital but did not release the names of any of the officers or the bystander. The Source: Information for this story came from the Lakewood Police Department, the Associated Press, KDVR-TV and previous FOX News coverage. Crime and Public Safety Colorado