Colorado Police Sergeant Shot and Killed During Traffic Stop

Sgt. Michael Moran conducted a traffic stop based on a reckless driving complaint around 11:30 a.m. The driver of the vehicle shot Moran, who died at a local hospital.

by Staff

November 30, 2023

Colorado Police Sergeant Shot and Killed During Traffic Stop

Sgt. Michael Moran of the Cortez (Colorado) Police Department was shot and killed during a traffic stop Wednesday morning.

Credit:

Cortez PD

1 min to read

A Cortez, Colorado, police sergeant was shot and killed during a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon. The suspect was later killed in a shootout with law enforcement.

Sgt. Michael Moran conducted a traffic stop based on a reckless driving complaint around 11:30 a.m. The driver of the vehicle shot Moran, who died at a local hospital, the Journal reports.

Deputies from the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Cortez Police Department located the suspect a short time later less than 1½ miles from the site of the traffic stop where Moran was shot.

“The suspect engaged officers, officers fired back and eliminated the suspect at that time,” Cortez Police Knuckles said.

Sheriff Steve Nowlin said the suspect was located and killed “within a matter of minutes” of the traffic stop.

The suspect has not been identified by law enforcement.

Moran joined the Cortez Police Department in 2012. He is survived by two daughters.

Topics:Traffic Stops Duty Deaths Colorado agencies Patrol

More Patrol

image of men on bicycles and women competing in martial arts and a log for the US Police & Fire Championships

Patrol•December 10, 2025

Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility

The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 5, 2025

Tips for Watching the Hands

How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 3, 2025

10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops

What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.

Screenshot of compute screen showing a blurred license plate compared to an image where the image has been enhanced to show the numbers and letters.

Patrol•by Edited by Staff•November 25, 2025

Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software

Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.

Background orange tinted image of southern California with pushpin marking Burbank. Headline reads K-9 Killed by Gunman, Burbank Police Department

Patrol•November 24, 2025

Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops

A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.

Patrol•by Wayne Parham•November 23, 2025

From the Show Floor: InVeris

In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.