GREELEY — A jail inmate disarmed a Weld County Sheriff's deputy and escaped with his gun Friday after being taken to North Colorado Medical Center's emergency room for treatment.
A law enforcement source said the inmate later shot himself while inside a nearby home.
Sheriff's spokesman Tim Schwartz declined to say whether the inmate had died. He identified the escapee as Raul Alaniz, 32.
Alaniz had been arrested Wednesday and booked into Weld County Jail on suspicion of two counts of assault on a police officer, criminal impersonation, attempting to influence a public servant, resisting arrest and violating parole. Court records indicate he had a bond hearing at 1 p.m. Friday in Weld District Court.
While at the jail Friday morning, Alaniz complained that he had blood in his urine, Schwartz said. Deputies transported him to NCMC, where he was being treated in the emergency room. After a shift change at 3 p.m., Alaniz assaulted a jail deputy and grabbed his .40-caliber handgun. He then walked out of the hospital and tried to commandeer a car in the parking lot.
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