Sources: Innocent Bystander Was Killed In Denver Gang Shooting
DENVER (CBS4) - Federal sources tell CBS4 four of the five people shot in what is now being called a gang shooting in Denver's Ballpark neighborhood were innocent bystanders. One of those bystanders was the person who died.
The shooting happened late Monday afternoon by 21st and Lawrence Street, close to Coors Field. Police arrested Josh Hayward, 24, the next morning on first-degree murder charges and Dashae Eugene Armstrong on federal weapons charges. Armstrong was shot in the leg.
It is CBS4's policy not to report the names of gangs involved in crimes, but federal authorities announced in a news release Wednesday that Armstrong, 23, is a member of a gang and that the "other shooter" was a member of a rival gang. They said Armstrong has a criminal record that includes drug dealing charges that dates back to 2007. He appeared in federal court on Wednesday.
The identity of the person who died hasn't been released and the names and ages of the other three innocent people who were hurt in the shooting hasn't been revealed.
On Tuesday Denver police praised those who helped them track down the suspects and emphasized that the shooting was not random.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock issued a statement Tuesday afternoon about the crime, saying in part "our condolences go out to the family who lost a loved one yesterday at 21st and Lawrence. Our prayers are also with the injured and their families. Shootings like these and other recent tragedies in the neighborhood are unacceptable."