DENVER — Four men were fatally shot and a woman was hospitalized with gunshot wounds during a spate of weekend violence in the Denver suburb of Commerce City. A person of interest in one of the cases was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot, police said Sunday.
Also in the Denver area, a person was fatally shot and three others were injured during a pair of altercations on Sunday in the city of Aurora, officials said.
Commerce City Police Department spokesperson Joanna Small described it as “an incredibly violent weekend” for the fast-expanding community of about 70,000 people, which is located just northeast of Denver near the city’s airport.
“We average maybe 5 or 6 homicides a year,” she said. “We’re now talking about four homicides and a person in critical condition in 39 hours … The fact that the crimes are not related is even more baffling, really.”
Potential motives in the shootings were not released.
The first happened Friday night in the parking lot of a Commerce City 7-Eleven convenience store. A man and a woman were shot, and the man later died. The woman remained hospitalized in critical condition as of Sunday morning, Small said.
Officers later tried to contact a man who had been driving a truck involved in the shooting, but he fled and was found dead as a result of suicide on Sunday morning.
On Saturday evening, a man was fatally shot in the parking lot of a public park with a pool in Commerce City. A person was taken into custody but Small declined to give further details.
Later that night, officers responded to shots fired during a gunfight that was detected by Commerce City’s gunshot monitoring system. The officers encountered a stolen vehicle with three people that fled and later crashed, according to the authorities. A male passenger with a gunshot wound was found dead inside the vehicle.
A second passenger and the driver were injured in the crash and taken into custody. Officers returning to the scene of the gunfight found a male who had been shot dead in the yard of a residence, Small said.
The victims and others in that case were believed to be juveniles, she said.
There was no known connection between the shootings at the convenience store, the park and in the residential neighborhood, Small said. She declined to give further details, citing pending investigations.
The fatal Aurora shooting happened at about 2 a.m. in a night club parking lot, police said. Details about the deceased were not immediately released. A second victim, a 34-year-old man, was shot multiple times but got to the hospital on his own and was expected to survive, police said. No arrests had been made.
At about the same time, there was a shooting at an Aurora housing complex that left a man hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, police said. A second man who was stabbed in that incident was expected to survive, police said.
Over the weekend, a series of shootings in a Denver-area suburb have left residents shocked and mourning the loss of several individuals. The incidents, which occurred in quick succession, have raised concerns about the safety and security of the community.
The first shooting took place on Saturday evening, when a dispute between two individuals escalated into violence. The altercation resulted in one fatality and left several others injured. Just hours later, another shooting occurred in a nearby neighborhood, claiming the lives of two more individuals.
The news of these tragic events has sent shockwaves through the community, with residents struggling to come to terms with the senseless violence that has taken place in their midst. Many are left wondering what could have led to such a devastating outcome and are calling for answers and justice for the victims.
Local authorities have launched investigations into the shootings, working tirelessly to piece together the events leading up to the violence. They are urging anyone with information to come forward and assist in their efforts to bring those responsible to justice.
In the wake of these shootings, community leaders are coming together to offer support and comfort to those affected by the tragedies. Vigils and memorials are being planned to honor the lives lost and provide a space for healing and reflection.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of these senseless acts of violence, there is a renewed sense of urgency to address the root causes of such incidents and work towards creating a safer and more peaceful environment for all residents. It is clear that more needs to be done to prevent such tragedies from happening again in the future.
In times of crisis, it is important for communities to come together and support one another. The events of this past weekend have shown that even in the face of tragedy, there is strength in unity and compassion. As the community mourns the loss of those taken too soon, they are also coming together to stand strong and resilient in the face of adversity.
