A Craig police officer shot a man after exchanging gunfire with him Saturday morning, according to a news release from the Craig Police Department.

At approximately 8:43 a.m. Saturday, Craig police officers responded to 730 Ashley Road following a report of a male subject armed with a handgun, according to the statement.

“Shots were exchanged between the subject and law enforcement,” the release stated. “The subject was struck during the exchange, and officers immediately rendered medical aid until paramedics arrived on scene.”

The news release does not specify who initiated the gunfire. Craig Police Chief Mike Cochran was not able to comment on this detail.

According to the news release, the individual was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital, where he was stabilized before being flown to another medical facility for further treatment.

Police were unable to comment on the condition of the victim or which facility he was flown to.

The 14th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team has been activated to investigate the shooting, adds the news release.

The Critical Incident Response Team is an independent, multi-agency group responsible for conducting “thorough and impartial investigations into critical incidents involving law enforcement,” according to the release.

According to the Critical Incident Response Team’s interagency agreement and adoption acknowledgement, a critical incident is defined as an event involving two or more people, including at least one law enforcement agency employee, where a fatal injury or injury creating a risk of death occurs.

The team consists of every law enforcement agency in Routt, Moffat and Grand counties as well as Colorado State Patrol, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, each county’s coroner and the district attorney, according to the interagency agreement.

According to Cochran, Critical Incident Response Team investigations are handed off to various agencies throughout the three counties. The involved agency is not included in the investigation to avoid a conflict of interest.

The Grand County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into Saturday’s shooting, according to the news release. 

Cochran noted that the Craig Police Department is not involved with the investigation, per Critical Incident Response Team protocol.

Comment from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office was not provided before the deadline for this newspaper.

As part of standard protocol for the Craig Police Department, the officer who shot the subject has been placed on paid administrative leave. An internal review will be conducted separately from the ongoing criminal investigation, states the news release.

According to Cochran, no Craig police officers were injured in the shooting, and the weapons involved have been collected as evidence.

The identities of both the officer and the subject have not yet been released. Cochran said no further details are available at this time as the investigation remains ongoing.

This is a developing story. More information will be reported as it becomes available.

Steamboat Pilot & Today and Craig Press reporter Emma Pilger contributed to this article.