Family Who Was Having Gathering Scattered When Shots Were Fired In Denver Drive-By Shooting
DENVER (CBS4) - Nine people, including a 3-year-old and 12-year-old, were hurt in an apparent drive-by shooting at a park in Denver on Sunday afternoon. People scattered when the shots were fired, including members of a family who were taking part in a family gathering at Byers & Pecos Park at the time of the shooting.
"There was a lot of people running and screaming, going back and forth," said Ana Hernandez, who lives across the street from the park. "Everything happened so quickly."
The park is located at West Byers Place and South Pecos Street, close to Alameda Avenue. Crime scene tape surrounded the park afterwards and plastic chairs could be seen knocked over at the family gathering spot.
The shots were fired just before 4:30 p.m., according to police. Witnesses say dozens of people could be seen running from the area to take cover, including one man who showed up on Elizabeth Sterling's porch with a gunshot wound on his arm.
"He had wrapped a cloth around his arm, but it was bleeding pretty bad," said Sterling. "I called 911 and just kind of tried to stay with him but there was just so much chaos."
According to Sterling, the man left before the ambulance arrived. At the same time, several houses down, Ana Hernandez said she comforted two young girls who took cover behind a car in her driveway.
"It was a motherly instinct to do that," Hernandez said. "I could see my kids in there, so it's like, it could have been my daughters and I wouldn't want my daughters in that position so I had to be there for them."
Denver police said 6 of the 9 victims were 18-years-old or younger, with the youngest being 3-years-old. A 10th person also suffered minor injuries after they were hit by a car while trying to flee the scene, DPD said.
So far police haven't released a description of the suspect or suspects.
"We're going to be pulling out all the stops in gathering all the information we can find out in regard to what happened," Denver police Technician Tyrone Campbell said.
On Monday, members of GRID, Gang Reduction Initiative of Denver, went door to door offering support and services to people living nearby where the shooting occurred. So far, Denver Police have not said whether gang activity is suspected.
"It's pretty unbelievable and very impact on everybody," Hernandez said. "Honestly, I don't feel safe anymore."
Later on Sunday another drive-by shooting take place a few miles away. A group who was gathered at an apartment in Lakewood was targeted and two people were critically hurt. So far it's not clear if the two shootings are connected.
"The bottom line is, from a Denver Police Department standpoint, from a community standpoint, this is unacceptable," Campbell said.
