DENVER – Two men have been arrested in connection with the shooting Monday afternoon in downtown Denver that left one man dead and four others injured, Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen announced at a news conference Tuesday.
Pazen said that Josh Hayward, 24, was arrested around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning for investigation of first-degree murder and that Dashae Armstrong was arrested and faces federal weapons charges, though he was among the four people who were hospitalized after being shot Monday.
The shooting happened just after 4 p.m. Monday near the intersection of 21st Ave. and Lawrence St. just southeast of Coors Field in downtown Denver. Hayward fled the scene in a car, the chief said.
Pazen said Tuesday that all five people who were shot Monday were men. One died at the scene and four others – including Armstrong – were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. None of the victims aside from Armstrong have been identified thus far.
Pazen commended witnesses and the community for giving police enough information to track down Hayward and arrest him Tuesday morning, though he said there were other witnesses police were still trying to speak with.
“Our community that helped us in this situation needs to know these individuals will be held accountable for their actions,” Pazen said.
He said that investigators worked through the night and have determined that the shooting was the result of an exchange of gunfire between Hayward and Armstrong, though the motive is still unclear, Pazen said.
He said that officers believe the shooting was targeted and not random. He said the department was “keenly aware” of issues in the area, where sweeps have kicked many homeless people off the sidewalks of nearby shelters.
He said that shootings such as the one that happened Tuesday will not be tolerated and that the department would “work with the community to address these high levels of violence.”