A routine effort to track down a hit-and-run suspect ended in a deadly shootout that claimed the life of 33-year-old Lakewood police agent Nic Graham. Three other agents were wounded, and a civilian was injured after the suspect opened fire near West Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard in Lakewood, Colorado.
The events began Thursday, November 5, 2026, when police responded to a hit-and-run report near Kipling Street and West 13th Avenue at about 3:45 p.m. Witnesses told officers that the suspect had run away shortly after the crash. Investigators obtained a description of the person and continued looking for him.
At approximately 6:29 p.m., an alert Lakewood agent spotted the man near Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard. The suspect was preparing to board an RTD bus when the agent recognized him. After confirming his identity, the agent called for backup.
Several officers arrived and moved in to make contact. What followed was a sudden burst of gunfire. The suspect turned toward the approaching agents and fired multiple rounds, striking four of them. The first shots-fired alert went out at approximately 6:32 p.m. A call reporting an officer down followed at 6:33 p.m.
The officers returned fire, killing the suspect at the scene. The shooting left four Lakewood agents wounded, along with a civilian who was also caught in the violence. Emergency crews rushed the injured to nearby hospitals.
One of those officers was Nic Graham. Despite receiving medical attention, the 33-year-old agent died from his gunshot wounds at St. Anthony’s Hospital. His death was confirmed by the Lakewood Police Department the following day.
Three other agents survived. Two were released after receiving treatment at Denver Health, while the third remained in the hospital. Police Chief Philip Smith said the injured agents were expected to make full recoveries. The civilian’s injuries were also reported to be non-life-threatening.
The man responsible for the shooting was later identified as Gabriel Garcia. Authorities said he had been involved in the earlier hit-and-run incident that brought officers to the area. Garcia was killed when police returned fire. The investigation into his actions and the officers’ response remains ongoing.
Graham joined the Lakewood Police Department in January 2019. He first worked in patrol before transferring to the Major Crimes Unit, where he became part of the team responsible for investigating serious cases.
During a Friday news conference, Chief Philip Smith praised Graham’s work, saying he had helped solve more than 300 cases. Graham also received the department’s Special Investigations Unit Wingman Award in 2023, recognizing his investigative contributions.
As news of his death spread, residents and fellow officers began gathering outside the Lakewood Police Department. Flowers, candles, handwritten cards and stuffed animals were placed near the building in his memory. Some visitors struggled to hold back tears as they paid their respects.
The grief also spread to nearby hospitals, where officers from different departments gathered to honor their fallen colleague. Graham’s fellow agents escorted his body for transport in a solemn procession as a bagpiper played “Amazing Grace.”
The department has since received support from neighboring law enforcement agencies. Officers from surrounding communities are helping cover patrol duties and respond to calls in Lakewood, giving Graham’s colleagues time to grieve and stand by the three injured agents.
The First Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team is handling the investigation into the police shooting. Lakewood police are separately examining the crime spree connected to the original hit-and-run report.
For those who worked with Graham, his death is more than another police tragedy. It is the loss of a colleague who spent more than seven years serving Lakewood and helping solve hundreds of cases. His family, friends and fellow agents are now left to remember a life cut short while he was on duty.
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