Eight Weekend Shootings in Denver — Two Involving Cops

The Denver Police Department registered two officer-involved shootings during the first half of 2022 — the first on March 2, the second on June 4. But that total has now more than doubled, with three officer-involved shootings over the five-day period between July 13 and July 17. Two took place over the weekend, when there were a total of eight shootings within Denver city limits.

At midnight on Thursday, July 14, before the weekend got underway, the DPD used its Twitter account to announce that police were on the scene of an officer-involved shooting on the 4800 block of Washington Street, in the Globeville neighborhood. The incident reportedly began at 10:30 p.m. on July 13, when police dispatch received a call about several people with guns near the intersection of West Seventh Avenue and Federal Boulevard. A suspect vehicle — a silver four-door sedan — was subsequently tracked by the DPD's helicopter to the block; on the ground, an exchange of gunfire resulted in the death of a thus-far-unidentified adult male passenger. In addition, Arthur Muteas, then 25 (he turned 26 on July 16), was arrested on suspicion of felony eluding, and two other individuals were busted for unrelated warrants. No officers were injured.

Word of the second officer-involved shooting came at 12:54 a.m. on Friday, July 15, when the department tweeted details about a domestic-violence call that involved a stabbing on the 300 block of East 51st Avenue, also in the Globeville neighborhood. At a press conference just over an hour later, Division Chief Ron Thomas said that a man at a residence there had control over a female victim who appeared to have already been stabbed, and when he allegedly injured her again in the presence of officers, one of the cops opened fire. The suspect, who has not been identified, died at the scene; the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital. A child was reported to be at the scene.

Here's a video of Thomas's press conference:

#Denver Police Division Chief Ron Thomas to provide an update on the Officer Involved Shooting that occurred in the area of E 51st Ave and N Grant St. https://t.co/h3dZJJlfz6

— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) July 15, 2022

The violence continued the next day. At 2:37 a.m. on July 16, the DPD reported a shooting on the 1300 block of Xenia Street, in the East Colfax neighborhood. The female victim died of her injuries.

Less than an hour later came word of two additional shootings. The first, reported at 3:15 a.m. on July 16, occurred in the vicinity of Eighth Avenue and Broadway; one victim was located with what were described as unknown injuries. And at 3:23 a.m., the DPD shared information about a shooting on the 1000 block of East Colfax Avenue, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The victim was an adult male; no details about injuries was released.

The events that led to the most recent officer-involved shooting began around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 17, when DPD officers responded to the area near 20th and Larimer streets after reports about a man with a handgun near what a release characterized as "the entertainment district out-crowd." The police say that 21-year-old Jordan Waddy pointed his gun at officers, who reacted by discharging their own weapons in his direction.

Waddy, who apparently didn't fire a shot of his own, was struck but is expected to recover; he's being held for investigation of felony menacing and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. In the meantime, though, five other people — three women and two men — were hurt. According to the DPD, "investigators are working to determine whether the injuries were a direct or indirect result of the officer-involved shooting (indirect could be from a ricochet or shrapnel, for example). The Department is certainly concerned about these individuals and will remain in contact with them to see how it can best assist with their recoveries."

The shooting necessitated another press conference. See it below.

UPDATE: Briefing by Division Chief Ron Thomas at 20th St and Larimer St. pic.twitter.com/Ej99rccBGu

— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) July 17, 2022

That wasn't the end of the July 17 shootings. At 5:06 a.m., the DPD sent a bulletin about an incident on the 1400 block of Uinta Street, in the East Colfax neighborhood; an adult male and an adult female suffered unspecified injuries. And at 7:16 p.m., Denver Police informed the public of a shooting on the 2600 block of Federal Boulevard; a victim experienced injuries not considered to be life-threatening.

Those with information about any of these crimes can contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867).