"Really frustrating": Mom, daughter want more transparency about crime in Cherry Creek North after attack

Less than a month after a violent attack, Allie and her mother Michelle say life has more clarity.

"We just feel grateful that we have the support of our community and our family, it could have been so much worse," she said.

On Jan. 24, while picking up a vehicle from the Clayton Lane parking garage in a very busy Cherry Creek North Shopping District, the mother and daughter were ambushed.

"They started banging on the windows with their guns and then pulled us out of the car," Michelle said.

They were thrown to the grown before both were struck in the head with handguns.

"I had staples in my head and a concussion," she said.

The suspects took off with their cars, belongings. and a sense of safety they're not sure they'll ever get back but want to make sure no one else has to lose.

"We didn't know. Not that we could have prevented that day, but we definitely would have been living our day-to-day a little bit differently with more caution and awareness," Michelle said.

After the attack, the Cherry Creek North Shopping District issued a statement calling what happened an anomaly.

"Really frustrating," Michelle said about the statement.

"But also, just inaccurate when you look at the data," Allie said.

According to the Denver Police Department's crime dashboard, the Cherry Creek neighborhood has already had 16 car thefts so far this year, the same number for all of 2022.

It shows property crime is on track to surpass last year's total and while there were just six violent crime cases in Cherry Creek last year, less than two months into 2023 and that number now sits at nine.

"We started a GoFundMe and the main goal is just to create that awareness and we thought about taking out an ad in all the local papers or creating some sort of billboard... we just want people to have these conversations," Allie said.

As small business owners in the area, their goal is not to scare people away but instead inform those who live, work, and visit the area.

"We chose Cherry Creek because it's an amazing, beautiful shopping district with a great community and we felt that but it's also a target, "Allie said

In response, CEO of Cherry Creek North Business District Nick LeMAsters sent CBS News Colorado the following statement:

First and foremost, we extend our deepest sympathies to the victims of this crime. We continue to work closely with law enforcement to partner and provide the safest environment possible.

Cherry Creek North's number one priority is to ensure the utmost safety of our constituents, employees and visitors who enjoy the area. Additionally, we are constantly evaluating our efforts to keep our community safe and secure with regular patrols conducted by our private security team and off-duty Denver police officers. We are also enhancing pedestrian lighting and increasing patrols with our new bicycle patrol program. Like any major metropolitan area throughout the U.S., crime cannot be completely avoided but I can assure you that Cherry Creek North is working diligently to implement safety measures to protect our community.

The Denver District Attorney's Office announced charges on Thursday against four adult males and two juvenile males for their alleged roles in the aggravated armed double carjacking. Josiah McCray, 19, Jurdon Bryant-Beasley, 19, Elrich Haliburton, 18, Nyariee Richardson, 20, and two juveniles, ages 15 and 16. 

After the two victims called police, officers pursued the stolen car to 17th Avenue and Willow Street where the car stopped and several individuals exited the car to allegedly carjack a second vehicle. Officers arrested the six suspects in a nearby backyard. 

McCray is facing several charges including violating Colorado's Organized Crime Control Act, aggravated robbery, assault, aggravated motor vehicle theft and attempted robbery. 

Bryant-Beasley is facing several charges including violating  Colorado's Organized Crime Control Act, aggravated robbery, aggravated motor vehicle theft and attempted robbery. 

Haliburton is facing several charges including aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, aggravated motor vehicle theft, and conspiracy to commit aggravated motor vehicle theft.

Richardson is facing several charges including aggravated robbery, one count of aggravated motor vehicle theft, aggravated motor vehicle theft, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, attempted aggravated robbery, and attempt to influence a public servant.

The 16-year-old male juvenile is facing several charges including aggravated robbery, second-degree assault, aggravated motor vehicle theft, aggravated motor vehicle theft, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated motor vehicle theft and with the sentence enhancing charge of being a violent juvenile offender using a weapon. 

The 15-year-old male juvenile is facing several charges including aggravated robbery, aggravated motor vehicle theft, aggravated motor vehicle theft, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated motor vehicle theft and one count of attempt to commit aggravated motor vehicle theft.