A war against coyotes in the Denver metro area has begun with Greenwood Village firing the first shots.

Greenwood Village’s City Council, in a special session Thursday, approved limited shooting of coyotes in public areas of the city, including parks, greenbelts and watersheds.

The council passed an ordinance allowing a contractor, Animal Damage Control Wildlife Management Services, to fatally shoot coyotes.

Greenwood Village police Lt. Joe Harvey said the measure is in response to complaints by residents about overly aggressive coyotes, including an attack on a teenager in December. The 14-year-old fought off the coyote and was not injured.

City officials and residents have become increasingly concerned about the growing coyote population and the danger to people and pets.The city is turning to the contractor, owned and operated by Jay Stewart, to help protect residents, said City Manager Jim Sanderson.

“We have a public-safety issue we need to address,” Sanderson said. “We want to be proactive and not reactive to a child being bitten.”