Security guard accused of murder after allegedly shooting Denver bar patron
Denver police have taken a 23-year-old security guard into custody for investigation of first-degree murder and four counts of attempted murder for an early morning shooting Monday outside a bar off East Colfax. He was identified as Dante Pacheco-Rodriguez.
The city has also moved to suspend the licenses of Restaurante Lempiro, located at 1452 Uinta Street, as well as a contracted security firm, J&M Security, which provided four guards.
A probable cause statement from Denver police says a HALO camera near the bar shows Pacheco-Rodriguez firing at least three shots, first around 12:31 a.m. Monday toward people by a pickup truck parked across from the restaurant. Four minutes later, three more toward the truck as five people in the truck drove away south on Uinta Street.
The truck came to a stop a block south. The driver, who has not yet been publicly identified, was hit in the back and died later at Denver Health Medical Center.
Police say it started with a dispute at the bar.
A witness who declined to be identified said a fight outside resulted in flying bottles and gunfire.
"Bottles was hitting cars and breaking. And a couple guys ran off and they got their guns, started shooting," said the witness.
The probable cause statement indicates that police found Pacheco-Rodriguez bleeding from the head. He told them he'd been assaulted.
The witness said the five people who were in the red pickup that was fired upon were trying to leave. "They was trying to get away from all the shooting. Just like everybody else," he said.
A bar worker said Pacheco-Rodriguez had a reputation for being "rude" to people.
A video shot over a month ago and obtained by CBS News Colorado showed a security worker outside the bar in a mask using a taser or similar shocking device on a man in front of the business. CBS News Colorado could not confirm the man was Pacheco-Rodriguez.
Investigators said there were four security guards at the restaurant contracted by J&M Security. The Department of Excise and Licenses released a statement saying only security guard Katie Diaz "had received the necessary licenses and endorsements to act as an armed security guard from the Department."
She reportedly fired her weapon once in the air. So far the investigation does not show the two other guards firing.
The department has notified the security firm it ordered the immediate suspension of the private security employer license until further investigation.
In addition, the department also suspended the liquor license and the dance cabaret license of the company that owns Restaurante Lempiro, Vigua LLC, which is registered to Juan Francisco Guardado.
Guardado did not reply to an email request for comment. The restaurant was already fined and ordered to show cause for maintaining its license last year for other violations including serving alcohol to a minor and having unlicensed security guards.