"Everyone was running and crouching," says one witness who spoke to Westword at the scene and was just feet away from the shooter, along with two friends. "It took my brain a minute to catch up with what was happening. Then I smelled the gunpowder and was like, 'Oh, God, this is actually a shooting.'"
The Denver Police Department tweeted out an alert about the incident at 1:14 p.m., saying it had happened in the area of 17th and Curtis streets. At least two victims were located and transported to Denver Health, where they are in critical condition.
The shooter was still at large as of 4 p.m., according to DPD officials.It was terrifying … that was awful pic.twitter.com/za9aPe7cZb
— Maria Redondo (@miatortilla) June 15, 2023
Witnesses say the male suspect was speaking with a group of individuals before opening fire on them. At a press conference this afternoon, DPD Chief Ron Thomas described the shooting as a "targeted incident." It is believed that the involved parties all knew each other.
"There were these three kids on scooters, talking to a guy who was standing," says another witness. "We were walking right through them, talking. I did not see what they said, or if anything happened, but then the one guy pulled out a gun and shot at those three that were standing there. Some [people nearby] got hit with the casings. And then the three of us ran and some of them ran into [buildings]. Cops said two of the three victims they found, but they haven't found the shooter."
Witnesses say they saw the male suspect running off after the incident. He and the victims were in an area that was packed with people at the time of the shooting.
"There was a crowd all day, and [the scooter riders] came up behind us — between me and my friend — and I could hear them arguing," another witness tells Westword. "Then I heard the shots...and I saw [the shooter's] gun, and he ran across the street. We ended up taking shelter."
The shooting comes just days after a mass shooting left ten people injured at 20th and Market streets after the Nuggets' championship-sealing win over the Miami Heat.
"We were just making the statement how we thought Denver was safe," says another witness. "It's sad that we came down for a great celebration, and for our good time, this is our memory as we're leaving downtown from the celebration."The shooting comes just days after a mass shooting left ten people injured at 20th and Market streets after the Nuggets' championship-sealing win over the Miami Heat.
Scott D'Angelo, who was a witness to the mass shooting early Tuesday, wound up riding right by the aftermath of Thursday's bloodshed. He tells Westword that he lives downtown, and every time a sports team wins a championship "there's individuals that get out of hand."
As a result, D'Angelo rarely goes out to celebrate big wins anymore out of a genuine concern for his safety.
"I don't want to go down and potentially be injured as a bystander or attacked because people just want to act crazy," he says.
As a result, D'Angelo rarely goes out to celebrate big wins anymore out of a genuine concern for his safety.
"I don't want to go down and potentially be injured as a bystander or attacked because people just want to act crazy," he says.
At the Thursday afternoon press conference, Denver officials were quick to downplay the notion that downtown wasn't a safe place to celebrate. "The quick answer is that yes, downtown Denver is still a safe place for people to come. Unfortunately we have, again, far too many guns in our society, far too many individuals that act irresponsibly with guns," Chief Thomas said. "Individuals now in our community are emboldened to act in an irresponsible way regardless of who's watching.
Thursday's shooting went down right after the Denver Nuggets championship celebration ended at Civic Center Park.
Chris Perez
The mayor referred to the incident after the Nuggets rally as being "a very targeted situation as part of a drug trade." DPD officials have suggested that the shooting after the Nuggets win early on June 13 was also drug-related.
"It would be a mistake for us to talk about it being an unsafe downtown," Hancock said. "Denver downtown is no more unsafe than it is in any other neighborhood of the city or in Aurora or Commerce City, for that matter.
"If you want to know why people are emboldened, there is a very prolific fentanyl and drug trade happening all over this country, and we have not been immune to it," Hancock continued. "So join with us in being honest about what's happening here — that we have to look and understand that our young people are getting their hands on guns. They don't know how to solve crises or challenges by having a conversation. They're shooting at one another, and it makes absolutely no sense. And unfortunately, as Chief Ron pointed out, this may have been a very targeted situation as part of a drug trade — not only on Monday, but today. And it's making everyone else unsafe."
DPD officers made at least two arrests during the parade that were unrelated to the shooting; one involved a person with a weapon and another causing a disturbance.
