Shooting at Denver Protest Leaves One Man Dead, Security Guard in Custody

A man was shot and killed during a "Patriot Rally" in downtown Denver Saturday afternoon after protests between opposing political groups escalated.

Denver Police Department Division Chief Joe Montoya said a "verbal altercation" took place around 3:30 p.m. in Civic Center Park where protesters were gathering.

A journalist with the Denver Post witnessed a man, who was participating in the rally, spray mace at another man and a gun was fired.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he died shortly after. Denver police tweeted that the shooting suspect was a private security guard.

ICYMI: Division Chief Montoya provides info near the scene today's homicide investigation. This remains an active investigation and any additional info will be shared to this thread as soon as it becomes available. #Denver https://t.co/Bj5aoMUapq

— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) October 11, 2020

Montoya said two guns were found at the scene, as well as a can of mace. 

Police presence was heightened on Saturday as a precaution given that opposing protesters were anticipated in the area.

"There was a large presence because we had two groups with opposing views, and we know that can always get very tense," Montoya said. "There's always potential for violence, we understand that. We had a large contingent there to try to watch the egress of one group so that the other group wouldn't intermingle with them, so that's the reason for the large presence there."

Right-wing protesters at the Patriot Rally gathered at the amphitheater where they sang songs and held up banners. Protesters at the left-wing "BLM-Antifa Soup Drive" held up flags and signs denouncing Nazis and white supremacists as they gathered in the middle of the park.

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