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Shooting in Denver’s Washington Park that left man injured Sunday was unprovoked, police say

Suspect identified as 28-year-old Ryan Martin Egelston; held on investigation of attempted first-degree murder, police say
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DENVER — A weekend shooting in broad daylight at one of Denver’s busiest parks that left a man seriously injured was unprovoked, investigators said in an unsealed arrest affidavit Monday.

The alleged crimes at Washington Park began at around 2:14 p.m. Sunday, when 28-year-old Ryan Martin Egelston was involved in a verbal altercation with a man after the victim asked if he could sit on the same bench as the suspect, according to the arrest affidavit.

Police said witnesses saw Egelston “spitting on the victim, pushing the victim in the chest, and eventually punching the victim once in the lower back,” before the victim began to walk away while seated on his bike, “at which time the defendant was observed by witnesses producing a firearm and firing one round at the victim, placing the victim in fear for his life,” arresting documents show.

Police said the man was not struck by gunfire, though a single bullet defect was later found in the rear wheel of his bike, the affidavit states.

RAW: 1 person shot at Wash Park

Shortly after, Egelston was seen walking southbound through the park near S. Downing and E. Kentucky Ave., when the suspect pulled out a gun and fired a single shot at a man from behind. The man was struck in the neck and jaw area, causing serious bodily injury, investigators said. The man was taken to a hospital where he was expected to survive his injuries.

“At no point did the second victim and the defendant appear to have any sort of disagreement or altercation prior to the shooting,” the affidavit states.

Moments after the second shooting, Egelston was seen walking southbound on S. Downing St. from E. Kentucky Ave. before he got inside a red Hyundai Sudan with Colorado license plate CIS-K97.

Denver Police officers who responded to the scene chased the vehicle with their sirens blaring before they rammed the car at E. Kentucky Ave. just west of S. Downing St. “due to the active threat to the public and in an attempt to limit a high-speed chase,” according to the affidavit.

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At least two Denver police patrol cars surrounded the vehicle and took Engelson into custody. A black Glock handgun was then recovered from the passenger seat of the vehicle, according to investigators.

Egelston was taken to Denver Police Department headquarters where he was interviewed by police about two hours later following the shootings, though it’s not clear why Egelston got into an argument with the first victim and why he reportedly shot the two men, as the affidavit obtained by Denver7 Monday is heavily redacted.

The suspect is currently being held for investigation of attempted first-degree murder on a $1 million cash-only bond.

The final determination of charges will be made by the Denver District Attorney’s Office.

In a statement about the recent random attacks across the city, Jordan Fuja, a spokesperson for the Denver Mayor's Office, said the The Denver Police Department "continues to work around the clock to catch criminals, prevent crime from happening, and keep our neighborhoods safe."

The full statement is below.

Every single Denverite deserves to feel safe and secure in their community. The Denver Police Department continues to work around the clock to catch criminals, prevent crime from happening, and keep our neighborhoods safe. Mayor Johnston's 2025 goals include addressing violent crime, non-violent crime, and increasing access to mental health resources that many Denverites desperately need but currently don't have access to. We remain committed to driving down crime and making Denver the safest city in America.


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