On Tuesday, authorities in Denver stated that a drug deal gone awry was likely to blame for a shooting that occurred in the city’s downtown when fans were celebrating the Nuggets’ first NBA championship. Ten individuals, including one of the two suspects apprehended, were injured in the shootings.
Police Chief Ron Thomas told reporters that everyone who was hurt in the drug trade, which included nine males and one lady, is expected to recover. About a mile away from Ball Arena, where the Nuggets beat the Miami Heat on Monday night, he reported hearing 20 gunshots.
The police chief stated that five handguns were located during the investigation, but that more testing was required to ascertain whether or not any of them were used in the incident. Commander Matt Clark added that in addition to money, a “significant quantity” of tablets believed to be fentanyl were also discovered at the scene.
The tweet that may be found below is relevant to the police shooting that took place in Denver:
Police say a shooting in downtown Denver amid fans celebrating the Nuggets’ first NBA championship win was likely sparked by a drug deal. It left 10 people wounded, including one of two suspected shooters. https://t.co/9PoPwhwpCH
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 13, 2023
Denver Health Medical Center performed simultaneous emergency surgeries on four of the ten patients. In fair condition, according to trauma surgeon Dr. Eric Campion, five patients were still being cared for on Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities say the shooting occurred as revelers were leaving downtown around midnight to go home after the Nuggets’ victory. Nonetheless, hundreds of law enforcement officials were already present when the shooting began.
Scott D’Angelo was broadcasting the festivities live when he heard a series of loud bursts, sending revelers scattering for safety or causing some to leap over cement barriers. Riot police ducked and drew their firearms as they yelled for everyone to take cover.
The 58-year-old man was crouching on the ground and said that he was having an asthma attack and that his arms were shaking with nervousness. A woman’s screams of agony could be heard from only a few meters away. D’Angelo reported that, as authorities rushed to the first victim, they saw a second one lying nearby.
Police shared a video from a citywide surveillance camera that lacked audio and appeared to show policemen rushing to the scene of a shooting. D’Angelo has given detectives his footage and says the shooting ceased after 20 seconds.
D’Angelo observed shell shells only feet from where he’d collapsed as ambulances came. How many people were engaged in the shooting is still being looked at by authorities. Clark, the head of the police force, has stated that two men have been detained on suspicion of possessing firearms while being prohibited offenders.
In the official court documents, neither man was represented by an attorney. One of the suspects fled the scene after being shot, only to be caught a few blocks later in possession of a weapon and fentanyl.
Clark stated that the other suspect was apprehended in a vehicle in the parking area directly across the street from the scene of the incident. He assured them that no one in the automobile was hurt. LoDo, a popular area for restaurants and bars in Denver’s downtown, was the site of the shooting.
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Investigators with flashlights combed the area Tuesday night after police had shut it off with yellow tape. They found evidence markers and what seemed to be party leftovers, such as an e-scooter and a green rental bike. D’Angelo said he was “kind of numb” after experiencing a mass shooting firsthand.
“To target somebody, and indiscriminately shoot innocent bystanders, even trying to think about it, it’s like — I have a huge emotional, a lot of feelings that I really can’t explain,” he said.
The shooting took place not far from where hockey fans celebrated the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup victory a year prior without incident. Thomas claimed that authorities had made similar plans in anticipation of a championship run by the Nuggets. “What we couldn’t have planned for was a drug deal right in the middle of a celebration,” Thomas said.
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