A Colorado State Patrol corporal was likely a “target of opportunity” when he was ambushed and shot while parked on U.S. 36 near Westminster earlier this month, according to state patrol officials.

Cpl. Tye Simcox, who was conducting paperwork in his patrol vehicle on September 7, was shot by 32-year-old Victor Anthony De Santiago, a resident of Thornton with an extensive criminal history in both Colorado and California.

Simcox, a veteran of the patrol, was stationed between two concrete barriers on the highway’s center median when De Santiago slowed down his vehicle and began firing.

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Simcox was hit in the right forearm, but despite his injury, he quickly grabbed a rifle from his vehicle and returned fire, fatally wounding De Santiago.

In a press briefing, Colorado State Patrol Chief Col. Matthew Packard expressed that investigators have not yet determined why De Santiago opened fire on Simcox, but initial findings suggest the corporal was a “target of opportunity.”

Packard explained that it appeared De Santiago saw the patrol car and decided to shoot without any prior specific motive.

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“If pressed today, I would tell you that I believe, based on current information, that Cpl. Simcox was a target of opportunity,” Packard said during a news conference. “I think the shooter saw a patrol car, and that’s the one he decided to take shots at.”

Simcox was taken to Denver Health by a responding trooper and is expected to make a full recovery.

In a statement released by the state patrol, Simcox expressed gratitude for the support he received following the shooting. “I am extremely blessed to be alive and am very thankful for everyone’s support and prayers,” Simcox said.

De Santiago, who was pronounced dead at the scene, had gang ties, though authorities have not confirmed whether he was actively involved with a gang at the time of the shooting.

Packard declined to specify the gang affiliation but noted that De Santiago’s criminal record included connections to gangs in both California and Colorado.

Despite the tragic encounter, Packard praised Simcox for his response to the attack, saying, “I think Tye acted heroically. I think he acted in accordance with his training and I, for one, am certainly thankful for how it ended as far as his well-being.”

Footage from the incident was released, but the available body-worn camera footage is limited due to Simcox’s camera falling to the ground during the altercation and damage to his vehicle’s front-facing dashboard camera.

The footage that was recovered shows the moments immediately before and after the shooting, including a bystander stopping to assist Simcox and help him apply a tourniquet to his wounded arm.

Shortly after the shooting, the first officer to arrive on the scene was a trooper who had been trained by Simcox.

The pair approached De Santiago, who was lying motionless next to his truck, and handcuffed him.

Westminster police arrived shortly after and administered medical aid to De Santiago, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident has raised concerns about officer safety and led the Colorado State Patrol to evaluate procedures moving forward.

Packard emphasized that the patrol would not retreat from public visibility but would continue its mission of ensuring safer driving on Colorado highways. “When people see a state patrol car, whether it’s in the center median of Highway 36 or on an overpass in rural Colorado, they tend to drive better,” Packard said.

“That’s really what our mission is, to encourage safer driving, and it’s the bulk of our work, so it’s important for us to be out there.” – Colorado State Patrol Chief Col. Matthew Packard

The shooting comes amid ongoing concerns about law enforcement officers being targeted while on duty. Simcox had parked in the center median of U.S. 36 because the location was considered safe for doing paperwork.

State patrol leaders are now considering potential measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Simcox’s survival and quick response were seen as testaments to his training and preparedness.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but as of now, no clear motive has been established for De Santiago’s actions.

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