Denver family recovering after both parents are shot in their home by robbers who posed as jewelry customers

A Colorado family is recovering after an armed robbery left a husband and wife with gunshot wounds and their two young children dealing with the trauma of witnessing an attack.

The robbery happened in Aug. 11 at the family's home in Denver's Sunnyside neighborhood near 40th Street and was captured on surveillance video.

Wendolyn Toro, who sells jewelry, said two young men came to her home posing as customers interested in buying rings. 

"One sat next to my husband and the other in front of me, and at that moment when I show him the rings, he pulls out the gun and points it at me," Toro said in Spanish.

Toro said her 6- and 8-year-old children were nearby when the robbery unfolded.

Her husband rushed in and tried to wrestle the gun away. She then noticed three more people later approached the home.

Toro began screaming for help. That's when, she said, gunfire erupted.

"They shot my husband twice in the leg," Toro said. "A third shot was to me. It went here through my arm, under my lung."

Both Toro and her husband were shot and required multiple surgeries. Toro said they were in comas for weeks.

The injuries have had lasting consequences for the couple. Toro said she lost a kidney and still has a bullet lodged in her lower back. Her husband lost part of his left leg.

"It was pretty intense, but I feel good because at least my husband is home now, and I feel better," Toro said. "These scars are part of my life now."

The physical injuries are only part of what the family is dealing with. In addition to being robbed of what Toro said was thousands of dollars, Toro said her children are now in therapy after witnessing the shooting.

"My kids are the ones most affected," she said. "They have nightmares every day."

Despite what happened, Toro hopes to continue selling jewelry, although she said she plans to be more cautious about how she conducts her business. The family has also moved to a new home.

"Sometimes I feel a little bit of fear, but we can't live with fear either," she said.

Toro said five people were involved in the robbery and that two have since been arrested. She hopes investigators will find the three others she believes were involved. The family is Venezuelan and left in 2023 due to corruption in their country. They were pleased police helped find the two main suspects.

"When I got the call, they had the first person caught, I was like, 'Wow, justice really does get done here,'" Toro said. "So, I have faith that they'll catch the other people, too."

For now, Toro said her family is focused on recovering, staying together and continuing the business despite an experience she said changed their lives forever.

On Sept. 30, Denver police responded to CBS Colorado's earlier request for information about the case and they said the shooting happened on Aug. 11 a few minutes after 4 p.m. in the 2600 block of West 40th Avenue.

Denver police say when officers arrived, they observed two people were shot, a male and female. Both victims were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Witnesses in the area told officers on scene that multiple suspects were seen fleeing from the home in a vehicle. Denver police say through their investigation, detectives learned five unknown suspects entered the home and robbed and shot the victims. During the search of the home, investigators found evidence that then led them to identify a potential suspect vehicle. Police say it was later determined that the vehicle belonged to one of the primary suspects in the shooting, Willmir Jose Colmenares-Garcia, who was identified as one of the shooters and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Investigators then found that second person who was with Colmenares-Garcia during the shooting, identified as Josmer Hernandez-Morillo. Both men were taken into custody and are being held for investigation of aggravated robbery and attempted murder. The Denver District Attorney's Office will make the final determination regarding charges. The case remains open, and investigators are working to identify additional potential suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers where they can remain anonymous at 720-913-7867 (STOP).