Greeley shooting puts spotlight on domestic violence issues in Colorado

The aftermath of a shooting outside the UCHealth Greeley Hospital Thursday immediately ignited conversation about the potential of domestic violence in the case. A 35-year-old woman was shot in the parking lot of the hospital but managed to walk into the emergency room for treatment. She is expected to survive.

Greeley police say a 38-year-old male suspect took refuge at a home in the 1900 block of McNitt Drive in Evans, where he started a car on fire. It began a standoff with the man that ended when authorities entered the house, finding the man dead.

"They pretty much kept to themselves," said neighbor Danyelle Livengood.

The parents of another neighbor said there were several families living at the home in the recent past, but a few weeks ago there had been a garage sale as the people there moved out.  

"It's a shock to the whole community," said Dani Souza, outreach coordinator for A Woman's Place, a shelter for domestic violence victims in Greeley that offers not only emergency shelter but legal services, employment, and housing help.

The breakup of a relationship is a dangerous time.

"When an individual leaves an abusive relationship, that's the most dangerous time for them. So that's when the majority of the fatalities occur is after they're left," said Souza.

Domestic violence fatalities in Colorado dropped in 2023, but calls have risen. From a little over 800 a year to over 100 a year at their hotline said Souza.

"We have 315 survivors that we were able to help, including the children," she said.

Fear of reporting remains a significant issue.

"A lot of victims are scared to speak with police because they're worried that they don't want their abuser to be arrested. They don't want to press charges," and there are other issues she said. "Some of them may be children, legal, money, housing. Citizenship is a big one as well," she added. "There might be a concern that if they do contact authorities, that they're citizenship, that they might get in trouble or they might get sent back."

Souza believes police in Greeley she works with do follow-up on calls. But it can be difficult to discern which party is the aggressor when there are domestic arguments.

"It's hard because they can only work with the information that they're given and it's not always black and white. So it's not always very easy to determine who the abuser is in this situation."

Victims' advocates will often to be sent to domestic violence incidents, but she believes with the prevalence of mental health issues there is room for adding additional experts to help people navigate a way out.

"You can never go overboard with support. Because they're not getting support in their lives. So everything that we can give them to help them be self-sufficient and get out safely is what we need to do."

Additional Information from the Greeley Police Department:

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National DV Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or our Victim's Services Unit locally at (970) 350-9605. Additional resources are available on our website: https://greeleypd.com/victim-assistance/.