2 dead following Denver I-25 road rage shooting, suspect Stephen Long in custody
A Denver Police Department detective who overheard gunshots while driving on Interstate 25 followed a road rage suspect's vehicle into west Denver where uniformed officers made the arrest Tuesday.
In his wake, the suspect, 25-year-old Stephen Long, allegedly left two males dying on the highway. One man, found on the shoulder of northbound I-25 between the 6th and 8th Avenue exits, was pronounced at the scene. The other, found on the 8th Avenue exit ramp, passed away later at a hospital.
Per DPD investigators, the two victims were riding in one vehicle and Long was driving a different vehicle behind them. The victims stopped their vehicle in the right lane of traffic between the two exits. The passenger of the victim vehicle got out and approached Long's car when he, too, stopped.
A confrontation took place, and Long apparently pulled out a gun and fatally shot the other car's passenger.
The other driver then exited and approached Long who, according to DPD's recounting, never got out of his vehicle. Long started to drive away and the other driver grabbed onto the vehicle. Long turned off the highway, onto the 8th Avenue ramp, and fired multiple shots at the other driver, causing him to fall from the vehicle.
A DPD detective heard the shots and saw Long driving away, and followed him. Uniformed officers performed a traffic stop at 13th Avenue and Meade Street minutes later and took Long into custody without incident.
Long was jailed on two counts of first-degree murder.
The victims have been identified by family members as Blake Lucas, 21, and Damon Lucas, 22.
Although DPD has interviewed several witnesses, it is asking any others - in particular those who may have dashcam video - to contact its investigation team.
The victims' identities will be released later by the Office of the Medical Examiner.
DPD closed all northbound lanes of the highway at about 3:15 p.m. The scene was cleared and the interstate re-opened more than five hours later.