Denver Police: Mass shooting and Nuggets celebration believed to be unrelated
DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) - Ten people were shot after the Denver Nugget's NBA Championship win Monday night, according to Denver Police.
According to the Denver Police Department, dozens of officers heard shots fired just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. Once at the scene, police found nine people injured in the 2000 block of Market St., not far from Coors Field.
All of the victims were adults; eight men and one woman.
A suspect, identified as a 22-year-old man, ran away from the scene. Officers did catch him and discovered he was also injured from the gunfire. As of Tuesday afternoon, he remains in custody at the hospital. DPD said this man also had a gun with him.
Police also contacted a nearby vehicle with people inside believed to be involved in the shooting. DPD arrested the driver, a 33-year-old man, and recovered a firearm under the floorboard of the vehicle.
A trauma surgeon with Denver Health Medical said the hospital received all victims and one of the suspects. Four patients required immediate intervention and five remain in the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon.
However, they're all believed to have non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said the investigation is still early, but it appears to have happened after an altercation involving several people.
During Tuesday's press conference, police said they believe the shooting and the celebration over the NBA Finals win are unrelated. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas emphasized thousands of people celebrated the win peacefully, but this celebration was marred by a small group of people who chose to "engage in illegal activity."
In total, police recovered five firearms during the investigation. It's unclear how many guns were fired, but police did find different shell casings at the scene.
Officers also found numerous baggies of what's believed to be fentanyl pills. DPD believes the primary reason for the gathering involved in the shooting was a drug deal.
The DPD held a press conference at 11:30 a.m. to discuss the investigation further.
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