Swap Meet To Return To Stock Show Complex After Motorcycle Club Shooting
DENVER (CBS4) - Two years after a motorcycle club member was murdered at a swap meet, the event is being allowed to return to the National Western Stock Show complex.
One person was killed and several others wounded in a confrontation between two motorcycle clubs in February 2016.
Derrick Duran, a member of the Iron Order, was not charged after he claimed he fired in self defense at a member of the Mongols.
"One Mongol punched me four times. I said stop it 'Stop it leave me alone.' Boom. I dishcharged a weapon," he said in an interview with police from that day obtained by CBS4 Denver.
A Mongol was carried downstairs and Duran said he went to police.
"I said, 'I shot back in self defense. Here's my weapons,'" he said.
The event was banned the following year.
Now its website announces it is back -- but under certain conditions from the City of Denver and the Stock Show.
Both the Mongols and Iron Order motorcycle clubs are banned, and no knives, guns, drugs or outside alcohol will be allowed.
Confederation of Clubs' attorney, Wade Eldridge, said their members, which include the Mongols, would not attend due to city demands.
"The Confederation of Clubs would sign a document telling the city we would pay them if there was anything bad that happened. if someone got shot, beat up or perhaps if anyone slipped on a banana peel."
So the Confederation is offering a different event the same day at Harley Davidson in Parker to benefit veterans.
At the Stock show event Jan. 27-28 there will be metal detectors and extra security to prevent a return of violence.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.