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UPDATE: At a press conference held the day after the shootings, the Lakewood Police Department identified the suspected shooter as Lyndon James McLeod, 47.
So far, the fatal victims have been identified as:
The identities of the other fatal victims will be released by the Denver County Medical Examiner, according to Lt. Matt Clark, commander of the Denver Police Department’s Major Crimes Division.
A deadly shooting rampage that started in Denver claimed the lives of four victims before ending with the suspect’s death.
Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said that it appears the offender, who was identified Tuesday as Lyndon James McLeod, was targeting specific people and businesses.
The incident is believed to have started around 5:25 p.m. Dec. 27 when three individuals were shot near 1st Avenue and Broadway in Denver. Pazen said two women were killed in that shooting. Reporting by KMGH-TV identified one of the women as Alicia Cardenas, owner of of Denver tattoo shop Sol Tribe.
The other victim, a man, was injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. He remains in critical condition, according to Clark.
Shortly after, there was a second shooting location at 12th Avenue and Williams Street where a man was killed, according to Pazen.
Around 5:31 p.m., there was also an incident near 6th Avenue and Cherokee Street, where McLeod attempted to gain access to a residence and fired at the occupants. No one was injured. In a nearby alley, a van was set on fire.
“It appears the suspect was responsible for starting that fire,” Clark said. “We’re working to determine the source of the fire.”
Around 5:45 p.m., the Denver Police department reported gunshots at the 1200 block of Williams Street. A man was shot and killed.
At that point, investegators got information on McLeod’s vehicle and located it around 5:49 p.m.
Denver officers exchanged gunfire with McLeod as they were in pursuit of his vehicle near 8th Avenue and Zuni Street. The shots disabled the police car, allowing McLeod to flee to Lakewood.
Lakewood Police Spokesman John Romero said that just before 6 p.m., his department received a report of shots fired at Lucky 13 Tattoo in Lakewood. The victim, Danny Scofield, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lakewood police were able to locate the vehicle near Belmar shopping center and the driver opened fire. Police returned fire, but the suspect fled the scene on foot.
Around 6:10 p.m., McLeod retreated to the Hyatt Place Hotel, where he shot a desk clerk, Sarah Steck. Steck later died in the hospital.
McLeod fled the scene again before being confronted by Lakewood police agents, who ordered him to drop his weapon. McLeod shot and injured one agent, who recovered enough to return fire, killing McLeod.
Romero said that the department is waiting to release the identity of the agent while she waits for her family to arrive in Colorado. He added that she is a three year veteran of Lakewood Police Department and has been through surgery but is in stable condition.
“I can’t emphasize enough the heroic actions of our Lakewood Police agent,” he said. “In the face of being shot, in the face of danger, she was able to save others from this terrible tragedy.”
MORE: Shooting spree is 687th mass shooting in the US for 2021
Pazen said that McLeod was on the radar of law enforcement due to investigations in 2020 and early 2021 that did not result in criminal charges. Those details are not being released at this time.
This is a developing story, as the investigation is ongoing.
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