Suspect with gun arrested in Southwest Plaza Food Court

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a man with a gun in the food court area of the Southwest Plaza Mall on Wednesday night. Investigators said it began with an altercation between two men just after 7 p.m. 

Witnesses said the suspect, Martin Vigil, 67, pulled out a gun and pointed it at the other man. Mall security confronted Vigil and deputies arrived on scene a few minutes later. 

Vigil claimed he was a peace officer but deputies were able to convince him to put down the gun and he was arrested. 

Investigators said that earlier Vigil had a verbal exchange on the bus with the man and when Vigil got off the bus he accidentally left behind his phone. When he called his phone, the other man answered it and said he would give it back if Vigil gave him money and the two agreed to meet at the food court at the mall. After the argument, Vigil pulled the gun. 

No one was hurt and no shots were fired. Vigil is a former detective with the Denver Police Department and retired in 2019. He faces charges of felony menacing and impersonating a peace officer.