Denver is seeing more homicides so far in 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Denver Police Department. But context behind those numbers tells a more nuanced story.

There have been 18 homicides in Denver so far this year 4 more than the same period last year. However, last year marked the lowest homicide count in a decade for that stretch of the calendar, meaning 2026 still ranks among the best starts to a year the city has seen in 10 years.

In the video player below, Denver7 reporter Allie Jennerjahn breaks down the numbers.

At a press conference held this week regarding a May 3 officer-involved shooting, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas addressed concerns about violent crime in the city. He called April a "violent month," acknowledging the rise in homicides, but noted that non-fatal shootings have decreased.

Thomas said one of the department's strategies involves increasing police presence in high-crime neighborhoods.

"We have, as you know, identified a number of persistently violent hot spot locations and have applied specific strategies in those particular neighborhoods to limit the amount of violent crime that has occurred there. And none of these homicides actually occurred in any of those neighborhoods, just as was true for most of those neighborhoods last year," Thomas said.

Denver Police provided a list of locations where each of the 18 homicides this year took place. The most frequently listed area is along East Hampden Avenue.

DENVER A space on South Broadway is about to transform into the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Tickets go on sale Thursday for "Harry Potter: The Exhibition," a touring exhibition making its next stop in Denver. The exhibition opens June 26 at 417 S. Broadway and will run through the holidays.

The behind-the-scenes exhibition celebrates iconic moments, characters, settings, and creatures from the "Harry Potter" and "Fantastic Beasts" film series, as well as the Tony Award-winning Broadway production "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." Guests will get an up-close look at more than 100 authentic props and original costumes as they journey through immersive galleries featuring interactive technology. Fans can walk through the Forbidden Forest, sit up on Hagrids chair, and even play a game of Quidditch. Organizers worked directly with Warner Brothers to create this official exhibition.

The experience has already captivated more than 4.4 million fans worldwide. Denver is one of only two locations opening in the United States.

"This exhibition celebrates the extended world of Harry Potter like no other touring exhibition has done before," said Tom Zaller, president and CEO of Imagine. "With its family-friendly environment and great appreciation for storytelling and adventure, Denver is the perfect place for fans and families of all ages to experience the magic of the wizarding world. We can't wait to share it with visitors from near and far when we open this summer."

You can find tickets online starting at 10 a.m. Thursday.

DENVER (AP) Scott Wedgewood didn't get the start in goal but he sure got the save and the win that sent the Colorado Avalanche to the Western Conference final.

Mackenzie Blackwood got the nod in net for the second straight game but he was pulled after allowing three first-period goals 48 hours after a brilliant victory at Minnesota in Game 4.

Wedgewood, who won his first six starts in his first Stanley Cup playoffs run before losing Game 3 in Minnesota, was perfect in relief in Colorado's 4-3 series-clinching overtime comeback that sent the Avalanche to the next round to face either Anaheim or Vegas.

If I could have made changes to our lineup with healthy bodies after the first period, I'd have pulled a whole bunch of guys, not just Blackwood, Colorado coach Jared Bednar said.

Blackwood surrendered a goal to Marcus Johansson just 34 seconds into the game, then allowed a pair of goals to Nick Foligno sandwiched around a goal by Michael McCarron that was waved off because hed batted the puck with his right glove.

It was the only break Blackwood caught on a tough night that looked nothing like his Game 4 masterpiece and for a while gave renewed hope to the Wild.

We were losing all over the ice in every aspect, Bednar said. When it comes to the goalie switch, a regular-season game I would have left Blackwood in there because he was no different than the rest of our team, like we just weren't good enough. But you're looking for a spark, and for me that's a tough situation.

Wedgewood said it was tough coming into an elimination game midstream, but he and Blackwood have split time in goal all season, so this was nothing new.

There's no egos, Wedgewood said. ... He's on the bench, he's not sulking. ... If it's me switching to him or him switching for me and giving these guys a little boost, then there's no ego. There's no, Its got to be me.'

For much of the night it looked like Bednar's juggling of his goaltenders this series was backfiring with the Avalanche losing their stranglehold on the series, the Wild snatching the momentum and Colorado frittering away its pronounced edge in the net.

With Wedgewood in the net, the Avs played much better in the second period but Parker Kelly was the only one to score. Then, the Wild played terrific defense and the series appeared headed back to St. Paul for Game 6 before the Avalanche scored twice in the final 3 1/2 minutes of the third period to force overtime.

Jack Drury made it 3-2 and Nathan McKinnon's spectacular goal with 1:23 left tied it.

Deadline addition Brett Kulak ended the game and the series with his first goal in 115 days 3:52 into the extra period.

I don't think anybody thought this series would end 4-1 just with how good they are, Wedgewood said. We find ways to win games. I'm proud of our group tonight.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

DENVER (AP) Brett Kulak scored 3:52 into overtime after Nathan MacKinnon tied it late in regulation and the Colorado Avalanche advanced to the Western Conference final with a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

Kulak capped a wild comeback for the Avalanche, who trailed 3-0 midway through the second period. Colorado moves on to the conference final for an eighth time since relocating to Denver in 1995-96.

The Avalanche will face the Vegas-Anaheim winner. Vegas leads that series 3-2.

Watch a recap of the game from Denver7 Sports Director Lionel Bienvenu in the video player below:

With Minnesota up 3-1, Jack Drury scored with 3:33 remaining to set the stage for MacKinnon's goal with 1:23 left with the Colorado goal empty. The star forward sent a shot from the left side past Jesper Wallstedt and into a small space in the top left corner.

In overtime, Martin Necas took the puck, glided behind the net and back out front, where he found an open Kulak. Without missing a stride, he lined it past Wallstedt.

Kulak joined the Avalanche on Feb. 24 as part of a deal that sent Samuel Girard to Pittsburgh. Kulak was the 16th Avalanche player to score in the series.

He also was an unlikely OT hero. This was his first goal since Jan. 19 when he was with the Penguins, which also was his only goal of the regular season.

You always like to dream about it, said Kulak, who started the season with Edmonton before being dealt to Pittsburgh in December. The player I am, I'm not the guy (they're) looking down the bench, hollering, Get out there, go win it for us.

It was a rare series-ending win at home for Colorado, too. The last time the Avalanche won a series on home ice was 2008 against the Wild, when the team had Hall of Famers Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg.

That was fun, MacKinnon said. A lot of fun.

Marcus Johansson scored 34 seconds into the game and Nick Foligno added two goals to give the Wild a 3-0 after the first period. It led Colorado to take out Mackenzie Blackwood after the first and insert Scott Wedgewood, who made seven saves.

The Avalanche overcame a three-goal deficit to win a playoff game for just the third time in 53 tries since moving to Denver. The Wild had been 21-0 when leading a playoff game by at least three goals before the elimination loss.

Wallstedt stopped 30 shots for the Wild. Matt Boldy and Nico Sturm each had two assists for a banged-up Wild team that was missing center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin all series.

When you go after something like this, theres going to be two sides of the coin, Wild coach John Hynes said. One is youre going to win, which is a great feeling. And when you lose, its an empty feeling.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

GREELEY, Colo. Police in Greely say theyre concerned there may be additional victims following the arrest of a registered child sex offender last week. Detectives are now asking for the publics help in the ongoing investigation.

Nathan Burton, 44, was arrested Friday following a monthslong investigation into the sexual exploitation of children in the area.

Detectives said they received cybertips alleging Burton possessed child sex abuse material. The police departments Internet Crimes Against Children Unit subsequently obtained and executed search warrants for locations in Greeley and Fort Collins, and recovered a significant amount of evidence, which assisted in the identification of multiple victims.

Burton was arrested on 56 felony charges related to the sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material and was booked into the Weld County Jail, where he remains on a $300,000 cash/surety bond.

Detectives are concerned there may be additional victims and encourage anyone with children who may have had interactions with Burton to contact the Greeley Police ICAC unit, a spokesperson said in a news release Wednesday.

Anyone with information on this case should contact Detective Joseph Rosengrants at Joseph.Rosengrants@greeleypd.com or Emily Destefanis at Emily.Destefanis@greeleygov.com.

The investigation is ongoing.

AURORA, Colo. A runaway teen who fled the scene of an alleged hit-and-run crash at Cherokee Trail High School in Aurora Tuesday morning was detained Wednesday afternoon following an hourslong standoff with officers outside his mother's home.

The teen, who was only identified as a 17-year-old boy, was wanted by Aurora police after forcing Cherokee Trail High School and Fox Ridge Middle School both part of the the Cherry Creek School District to go on secure status and implement a controlled release of students Tuesday out of an abundance of caution.

Police told Denver7 the teen had stolen his mothers vehicle the night before and was driving erratically in the parking lot of the school before fleeing after hitting a driver who was dropping off their child at school Tuesday morning.

Shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aurora police reported they were responding to a wanted party potentially in crisis at an apartment complex on E. Easter Drive near the intersection with E. Arapahoe Road and E. Roxbury Drive in southeast Aurora.

In an update later Wednesday, Aurora Police Deputy Chief Michael Gaskill confirmed the wanted party was the same teen wanted in connection with the hit-and-run at Cherokee Trail High School a day prior.

Gaskill said Aurora police received a call from the teens mother, alerting them he had returned home and was throwing items around the house, outside of a window and onto a balcony.

Police arrived at the scene and tried to talk with the boy, according to Gaskill, but several attempts to make contact yielded no results.

At one point, the teenager came out to the balcony of the residence and started throwing what officers believed to be Molotov cocktails off the balcony, Gaskill said, adding the APDs SWAT Team was then called to handle the situation.

The hourslong standoff ended when the teen came out without incident and gave up, Gaskill said.

The teen, whose identity will not be released because he is a juvenile, is now facing several charges, including unlawful display of a weapon on school grounds, criminal mischief, items related to hit-and-run, and reckless driving, Gaskill said, adding the teen will be transferred to the Aurora Detention Center.

No officers were injured during the operation, the APD deputy chief added.

DENVER Emma Burt knows there's a real science to quiet work.

Two hours before a playoff game at Ball Arena in Denver, she makes sure the net is secure and the ice is ready for the Colorado Avalanche.

Watch Mike Castellucci's report in the player below:

"They're not very flexible, but enough force they'll fold," Burt said, referring to the mooring pegs that hold the net on.

As a senior member of the Colorado Avalanche Ice Patrol, Burt is part of a team of skaters who take shovels onto the ice during games.

"We go out and shovel during the games to maintain the ice to NHL standards and make sure it's clear and fast for the players during the game," Burt said.

She is also learning to drive the Zamboni.

"I am learning how to maintain the ice slowly getting trained on driving the Zamboni," Burt said.

But the ice is only half of her world.

Just hours after leaving the Avalanche, she pulls up in a snowstorm to her day job at Children's Hospital Colorado, where she sees her first patient at 8 a.m. before heading into clinic.

Burt is a genetic counselor who works with Dr. Pete Baker in the hospital's metabolic clinic.

"We see kids with rare genetic disorders," Baker said.

The work extends beyond the patient in the room.

"We're also thinking about their family members so if something is genetic, could it affect other family members? We start with parents to see if they are at risk," Burt said.

She is new to the clinical team, but she has found that her years on the ice have made her a better counselor.

"My skills that I built through the Avs talking with fans, and talking to anyone who comes up to us during a game actually helped me when I had to sit down with patients. I wasn't quite as nervous about meeting a new face," Burt said.

For Burt, the rink is also a place of personal restoration.

"This is where you come to put stress away and hang out with family," Burt said.

That family includes her fianc Sebastian Wilson. The two have worked together on the ice patrol for seven years and share a love of hockey and their Avalanche family. They will marry in September.

"It's cool that both our fun hobby jobs are here," Wilson said.

Wilson added that it's simply "too fun of a job not to stay here as long as we can."

Up in the balcony during a recent playoff game, Burt's parents and sibling watched from the stands.

"So proud of her, in admiration of her. Stellar human, who gives and loves and cares she's one hell of a person," her mom Jackie said.

Her dad Ashley added she is "having a blast, in her element, in the now."

DENVER One person was injured in a two-alarm fire at an apartment complex on E. Hampden Avenue in Denver on Wednesday afternoon.

E. Hampden Avenue is closed between S. Yosemite Street and S. Verbana Street, according to the Denver Police Department.

The Denver Fire Department said "fire is throughout the building." One person was transported to a hospital.

The fire was burning what appeared to be multiple units at the Willows at Tamarac apartment complex.

Most of the fire was knocked down by 3:20 p.m., according to the fire department.

Drivers are asked to avoid the area.

Fire investigators have also responded to the scene, the fire department said.

Xcel Energy is reporting that 2,792 customers nearby are currently without power.

The Primrose School of Lone Tree was evacuated Wednesday morning after a Cybertruck crashed into the building and caught fire, South Metro Fire Rescue officials said.

The driver of the EV, a grandparent, crashed into the school around 8:30 a.m. and everyone was safely evacuated before crews arrived, according to the City of Lone Tree and officials at a press conference. They said there were 100 people in the building  78 students and 22 staff. None of them were injured.

WATCH: Denver7's Sophia Villalba reports from the scene

Students at the school and daycare range from six weeks to 5 years old.

Two children were passengers in the EV and one of them was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. It's unknown what caused the driver to crash, but the City of Lone Tree said no drugs, alcohol or medical issues are suspected in this case.

Fire officials said the fire only impacted the exterior of the building and did not make it inside, but it's not clear when the school will be able to reopen.

"Between our fire marshal's office, our hazardous materials team, and then other external contractors they'll work to evaluate if there was any sort of contaminants within the school that would prevent them from being able to reoccupy," Matthew Assell, spokesperson for South Metro Fire Rescue, said.

He said lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles "make everything more complicated," posing a greater risk to people and making fires more dangerous and harder to fight.

"The smoke coming from those lithium ion batteries produces pretty extreme toxins that honestly still aren't fully understood how they affect people," Assell told Denver7's Sophia Villalba. "So one of our biggest concerns when we get on scene is getting everyone away from that structure as fast as we can."

There's currently no word on how the crash happened.

The fire also prompted closures on Teddy Lane, according to the City of Lone Tree.

South Metro Fire Rescue officials said the car has been pulled away from the building and a fire blanket has been put over it as a "precautionary measure" to prevent it from catching fire again.

Watch the full press conference

It's not yet clear when the daycare will reopen.

Colorado voters could decide this November whether to redirect a portion of their TABOR refunds to public schools after lawmakers voted Tuesday to send the issue to the ballot.

Senate Bill 135 would raise the TABOR cap by the amount the state spends annually on public education, currently around $4.6 billion, allowing the state to keep more revenue to fund schools. The proposal would increase public education spending by 2% for 10 years and be used to increase teacher pay, address teacher retention, reduce classroom sizes, and grow career opportunities for students.

Watch: Denver7's Maggie Bryan breaks down Senate Bill 135

The Democrat-backed bill has support from more than a dozen education and community organizations, including the Colorado Education Association. CEA President Kevin Vick said the state's revenue cap is outdated and has prevented the state from fully funding public education.

"We're currently the least competitive salaries in the nation. So we're hoping to be able to to boost educator salaries," said Vick. "People are really tired of seeing their favorite teachers not being able to stay in education."

Data from the National Education Association shows Colorado ranks 35th in the nation for average starting teacher salary at $45,489, while the state's minimum living wage is $74,205.

The measure has drawn backlash from several groups, including the Independence Institute and the Colorado Union of Taxpayers, who say the proposal slashes TABOR refunds under the guise of helping kids.

"They use kids as a way to get to the heartstrings and take our TABOR refunds," said Jon Caldara, President of the Independence Institute. "No matter how often the voters of Colorado say, 'No, we don't want you to take more money,' they still find backdoor ways of doing that."

The measure requires at least half of the annual surplus to go to K-12 schools, while the rest of the retained revenue can go toward programs that support children, including child care, preschool, and "other programs that prepare children to be successful in school."

Caldara said the bill's language is deceptive and would lead to increased government spending while Coloradans see less money on their TABOR refunds.

"We believe money should follow the kid. That if you take a look at administration and how much we're spending per child, you'll see that we're never spent more money per child, and it's being eaten up by administration. It's not finding its way to the classroom," said Caldara.

Kim Monson, the president of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers, sent Denver7 the following statement in opposition to the measure:

Rob Eberle, a high school English teacher in Loveland, pushed back on the argument that schools can find more savings through administrative cuts.

"Those particular arguments about cutting more and cutting more I think districts have done that, and I think we're at a point where we just can't do it anymore," Eberle said.

DENVER Law firms Ramos Law and DJC Law have filed a notice that they intend to sue the City and County of Denver on behalf of passengers aboard the LA-bound plane that struck and killed a man on the Denver International Airport runway Friday, according to a joint release from the firms.

The man, now identified at 41-year-old Michael Mott of Pueblo, had scaled a perimeter fence in 15 seconds and was hit by the plane just two minutes later, according to airport officials. Twelve people were injured, with five of those people hospitalized.

The firms call the incident "one of the most preventable aviation incidents in recent history" and claim the passengers are now "confronting both physical and psychological injuries."

They say they're seeking more than $10 million in damages.

Attorney Joseph LoRusso, who also holds a pilot's license, sat down with Denver7 on Wednesday. He is representing a handful of passengers who were aboard the Friday night flight.

"The universal story that I'm hearing from everybody that I've talked to who have cried to me on the phone for the past 48 hours has been Joe, I thought I was going to die," LoRusso said.

LoRusso said the firms are also demanding all evidence related to the incident be preserved, including surveillance video, sensor data, access-control logs, radio and dispatch communications, internal incident reports, training records, and policies and procedures.

"Our clients deserve a full and transparent accounting of what the airport knew, when it knew it, and what was, or was not, done about it," attorney Andres Pereira with DJC law said in a statement.

Watch Claire Lavezzorio's report in the player below:

Denver7 received a copy of the notice of claim, that must be filed before any official lawsuit can be filed, which details both mental and physical injuries some passengers suffered, including exposure to smoke and fumes and spinal strains.

During Wednesday's interview, LoRusso pushed back on comments made by Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington, who said at a Tuesday news conference that the airport did not have enough time to intervene.

"Absolutely not. We deal in seconds in aviation, and this was two minutes. There was plenty of time," LoRusso said.

According to the firms, a notice was served Tuesday to the Denver City Attorney and the Colorado Attorney General, with courtesy copies to the Chief Executive Officer of Denver International Airport, the Denver Clerk and Recorder, and the Chief of the Denver Police Department.

The attorney's office for the City of Denver, which operates DIA, said they had not received notice of the claim and do not comment on pending litigation.

Denver Public Schools could soon crack down on student cell phone use as the districts board is considering a new districtwide ban on student communication devices including cell phones and smart watches throughout the entire school day.

Currently, each school sets their own policy when it comes to cell phones. Many of those policies are already bell-to-bell, Denver Public Schools director of external communications Scott Pribble said.

Watch: Denver7's Sophia Villalba reports on the potential ban

This push is partly because of a new Colorado law that requires school districts to have a cell phone policy in place by July 1.

DPS is working to come into compliance with HB25-1135, which requires all Colorado school districts to develop their own plan," Pribble said. "The law does not direct how the policy is implemented, just that school districts have a policy.

DPS said the goal is to reduce distractions and support student mental health. The proposal would require students districtwide to keep devices put away all day.

These policies decrease classroom distractions and have shown to improve student mental health. Additionally, schools which have a similar ban in place currently report improved social interaction between students, Pribble added.

Officials said research shows fewer phones in schools can mean better classroom engagement, improved mental health, and more in-person interaction between students.

Teachers have shared that there is a marked improvement in classroom engagement when phones are not allowed, Pribble told Denver7.

The proposal would also include devices like smart watches and wireless earbuds because DPS says those devices can also be used to communicate during class.

Members of the Community District Advisory Committee noted that many students could easily 'get around' a simple cell phone ban by using smartwatches for the same communication purposes, Pribble said.

There would be exceptions for students who need devices for medical reasons, translation tools, or other accommodations.

The proposed policy has built in clear guardrails for students who must have devices," Pribble said. "This includes students with medical conditions like Type 1 diabetes who use phones to monitor glucose levels. Additionally, exceptions are granted if a device is part of a students Individualized Education Program or 504 Plan for translation tools or assistive communication. These needs must be documented and will be managed by the school nurse or special education team.

Denver7 spoke to a DPS parent whose child is currently in high school. She said her main concern is not being able to reach her child during a school emergency.

There's been too many times that my kids have called me to pick them up early because of perceived threats, and they've always come out to be true," said Tamika Galloway, a DPS parent. "The teacher should have the capacity to make policies in the classroom that the kids are paying attention, and they're not distracted by the phones.

Denver7 took Tamikas concerns to DPS.

School offices remain the primary point of contact for sending messages to students. During an active-shooter situation, using a cell phone is not recommended because the phone noise and light can actually put students in greater danger, Pribble said in part.

The district is still working through details like how the rules would be enforced and where students would store their devices during the day. DPS said storage systems could cost close to $1 million.

The proposed policy calls for an annual review of the effectiveness and outcomes of the policy, Pribble added.

The district is also asking for public feedback through an online survey that closes on Friday at 5 p.m.

According to Pribble, it will be up to the superintendent to implement the policy once it's established.

Its a weekday afternoon on East Colfax Avenue in Aurora, and community members like Raynalia Crawford are taking matters into their own hands.

Denver7 met Crawford as she was on her way to hand out burritos to people experiencing homelessness.

She told Denver7 she wants to see more community engagement in the area.

"We just need the people able to come out and not be afraid, to come to this area because of the location," Crawford said.

Support and resources for Auroras unhoused community was one of the key topics at Aurora Mayor Mike Coffmans annual State of the City address Tuesday, outlining key priorities for the year ahead including homelessness, public safety, infrastructure, and economic development.

Coffman pointed to the city's Aurora Regional Navigation Center as a model for addressing homelessness, describing its three-tier, work-first approach designed to move residents from emergency shelter into stable employment and housing.

"I believe it will be an example, not just for Colorado, but for this country," Coffman said.

Watch Adria Iraheta's report in the player below:

Public safety was another top priority Coffman highlighted. Aurora residents echoed that focus.

Jeff Larsen, who gets around Aurora by bicycle, said he wants the Aurora Police Department to crack down on dangerous drivers.

"People slowing down in their cars," Larsen said. "That's why I'm on the sidewalk, and I say on the right or the left when I'm riding."

Larsen also called on city leaders to address the rising cost of living.

"They need to put a stop to them raising the rent all the time," Larsen said.

Coffman also outlined the Build Up Aurora initiative, looking at long-term solutions for critical infrastructure projects.

Among the infrastructure needs cited: the Peoria Street bridge, built in 1966 with a 40-year lifespan, now 60 years old, with an estimated replacement cost of $35 million.

The address also touched on the creation of a Downtown Development Authority along the East Colfax corridor, a rental licensing and inspection program, a youth empowerment center, workforce training initiatives, and a low-interest loan program for immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs.

Coffman closed his 2026 State of the City address on an optimistic note.

"Our council can work together to rise above the broken politics of today to achieve a bold vision for our city," Coffman said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

DENVER  The man who was hit and killed by a Frontier jet at Denver International Airport on Friday died by suicide, an official from the Denver medical examiner's office said Tuesday.

The man was identified as 41-year-old Michael Mott, of Pueblo, Denver's chief medical examiner, Dr. Sterling McLaren announced at a briefing on Tuesday. The cause of death was multiple sharp and blunt force injuries from the plane's engine, she said.

Its unclear what, if any, connection Mott had with the airport or what evidence Dr. McLaren examined to determine the manner of death.

Watch Allie Jennerjahn's report in the video player below:

Denver Chief of Police Ron Thomas said that the man had had previous contact with law enforcement in the metro area. Records show a lengthy criminal history in Colorado dating back to 2003, with convictions ranging from trespassing to assault. He was sentenced to six years in the Department of Corrections for felony assault in 2005.

Thomas issued a call to action at the briefing, asking anyone who knew Mott or may have been in contact with him to reach out to DPD as they work to learn more and search for any notes he may have left behind. No vehicles or bikes have been found in the area, according to officials.

The incident has also raised security concerns. Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington said the man jumped an 8-foot fence topped with barbed wire and was struck by the jet just two minutes later.

"The location of the incident is about two miles away from the terminal," he said. "Given the short time period, we were not able to intervene and prevent this person from reaching the runway."

However, Dave Riley, a retired air traffic controller, believes more could have been done to prevent the incident.

"The controller did not have to issue a takeoff clearance," Riley said. "He could have just said, 'You know, hold your position,' and explained to the crews that,'We have a situation going on, Ill get back to you in a second."

Washington said the airport has a layered security approach and has received "perfect scores" on multiple FAA safety inspections, adding that the airport's perimeter fencing meets TSA regulatory guidance.

Motion detectors on the fence identified a herd of deer just outside the fence in the same area, which initially caused security crews to miss the man jumping the fence, according to Washington.

"The camera view was alternating between the wildlife and the individual; there are some ditches in the area, so the person was out of view for a bit as well," he said. "And then just minutes later, we were alerted by the FAA of the person being hit."

After the incident, he said the fence was still intact.

He said the airport's layered approach to perimeter security which includes technology, fence inspections, patrols, and other tools has worked in the past, but that "we will look to see what improvements we will make."

"After significant events or incidents such as this, or even incidents that do not rise to this, we conduct after-action reviews to identify areas for improvement, and we will do that here as well," he said.

Washington added that the airport has had other people jump the fence before and that all of them were "apprehended very quickly."

Washington also praised Frontier crews during the briefing.

"The actions of the Frontier pilot and crew were exceptional, and this could have been far worse, so we are indebted to their professionalism, he said.

Watch the full press conference

The incident has been investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, Denver Police, the Transportation Security Administration, and the FAA, which is assisting, according to Washington.

Twelve people were injured during the incident, and five were hospitalized. Washington said he believes those injuries occurred during the evacuation and said four of those people have since been released. He said the condition of the person still in the hospital is unknown.

Denver7 asked Riley whether the way the passengers were evacuated on the right side of the plane, where the collision happened, was appropriate.

"I would question them evacuating on that side of the aircraft knowing that, one, there was a fire, even if it was extinguished," Riley said. "Later video, I did see that they moved all of the passengers to the left side of the aircraft, and the firefighting vehicles sprayed foam on that engine. So, obviously, there was still a concern of a fire on that side."

"I want to take a moment to acknowledge that the news of this nature can be very painful for the decedent's family, for witnesses, and for any members of our community. If you or someone you know is struggling, there's free and confidential support available by calling or texting 988, which is Colorado's mental health helpline," McLaren said.

A lengthy criminal history

Denver7 Investigates dug into Mott's past and obtained documents that showed multiple violent crimes and competency issues.

Mott had a rap sheet that dated back 20 years with charges ranging from burglary to trespassing to violent crime. He had been ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial on multiple occasions dating back to 2019. He also served prison time after being convicted of an assault causing serious bodily injury roughly 20 years ago.

His two most recent run-ins with the law came in Colorado Springs, where police said he was homeless.

Watch Jennifer Kovaleski's report in the video player below:

Last month, he was arrested for attempting to break into a motel room. According to the arrest affidavit, Mott told police he had an intuitive feeling that something was wrong with the person in the room.

El Paso County court records show Mott had already been placed in an outpatient mental health restoration program after a judge ruled he was incompetent to proceed in a court case in July 2025. In that case, he was accused of assault after he allegedly put out a cigarette on a person unprovoked.

Denver7 Investigates has requested court documents from past cases in other jurisdictions and is still waiting to obtain those records.

Colorado Crisis Services

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Ross Colton and Parker Kelly each scored in the third period for Colorado, an opportune time for their first goals of the postseason as the high-scoring Avalanche snapped back from a mid-series lull and beat the Minnesota Wild 5-2 in Game 4 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in the second round of the NHL playoffs.

Mackenzie Blackwood made 19 saves in his first start this postseason after relieving Scott Wedgewood during a 5-1 loss in Game 3 on Saturday, and the Avalanche moved within one win of taking the first spot in the Western Conference finals. Game 5 will be in Denver on Wednesday.

Nazem Kadri scored on a power play in the second period, and Nathan MacKinnon who had a brief absence to fix a bloody nose from a puck to the face and Brock Nelson added empty-net goals in the final minute.

Nico Sturm tied the game at 2 for Minnesota with his first goal of the postseason about two minutes after Colton put the Avalanche up by 1. The Wild were outshot 20-5 over roughly the first half of the game by an energized Colorado offense.

After leading the NHL in goals during the regular season while posting the league's best record, the Avalanche scored 14 times over the first two games before Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt stonewalled them in Game 3.

Colton and Kelly became the 15th and 16th players to score for the Avalanche in just eight postseason games this spring.

Rookie Danila Yurov scored his first career postseason goal on a deflection midway through the first period for the Wild during a four-minute power play prompted by a double minor penalty on defenseman Josh Manson.

___

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

BOULDER, Colo. For City of Boulder firefighter Nikki Mastriona, joining the fire service meant stepping into a world where men made up the overwhelming majority of her colleagues.

I think naturally we all feel that way, coming into a male dominated industry, Mastriona said. 7% of the nation's firefighters are women, and so it's extremely intimidating.

Watch Colin Riley's report in the player below;

The intimidation often starts early in training. Gear, tools and physical tests are typically designed with a one-size-fits-all approach that can make it harder for women to succeed.

There was only so much that they could tell me, and so I had to do a lot of figuring this stuff out on my own in a lot of days. It was really daunting, Mastriona said.

When she struggled to find resources tailored for women, Mastriona decided to create her own. The result is Built For The Badge, a complete platform aimed at preparing women for careers in firefighting, emergency medical services, law enforcement and the military.

I came up with the idea that I wanted everything to be in one place, Mastriona said.

According to Mastriona, the site offers physical training plans, written exam study guides, a national job board and a mentor network. It will soon be available as a mobile app.

Theres no guesswork on what you need to be doing to prepare you to get into the fire service and then all the way up to retirement, she said.

The program has already reached women across the country, including firefighter and EMT April Ziviello in Pennsylvania.

Learning from guys, it's, you know, they give great advice, but at the end of the day, I can't do it the same way that they do, Ziviello said.

Ziviello says shorter women face unique challenges. The shorter girls have to work even harder, because nothing is our size. The gear doesn't fit us. The air packs are huge on us, she said.

I think it's going to open up the door to a lot more connections for women in general, Ziviello said. And I think it's super important that we realize that there are other people out there like us.

Boulder firefighter Rory Loveridge agrees the public benefits when fire crews reflect the communities they serve.

If the community that you serve is they see themselves represented in you, then that makes them feel more comfortable and ultimately leads to a better service, Loveridge said.

The launch of Built For The Badge comes at a time when Colorado fire departments face staffing struggles. Denver7 recently reported the state needs more than 2,000 firefighters and millions of dollars in new equipment to keep up with demand (see coverage). Recruiting more women could help fill those gaps.

It also comes in the wake of concerns about poorly fitting gear for female firefighters. In 2022, Denver7 profiled a Fort Collins duo working to design uniforms for women in wildland firefighting (see coverage). Built For The Badge offers training that accounts for womens body mechanics, physiology and menstrual cycle-based performance.

The biggest thing that we're trying to drive home is that women it's not that they're not capable. They just don't have the resources, Mastriona said.

We don't ever want to lower the standards in this field, she added. You know, they're there for a reason, and so we just want to make sure that we're training women up to that standard, and supporting them.

Mastriona plans to expand Built for the Badge to police and military prep in future phases with the ultimate goal of making it a resource departments can offer directly to recruits.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Passengers aboard Frontier Flight 4345 are recounting the frightening moments after the jet struck and killed a person on the runway Friday night, as federal investigators work to piece together what happened and whether evacuation procedures need to change.

As of Monday afternoon, the National Transportation Safety Board said it still has not determined whether it will open a formal safety investigation. The agency said it is gathering information about the emergency evacuation process. The identity of the person killed has not been released.

12 people suffered minor injuries during the evacuation.

"As the smoke filled the cabin that's when everyone really started to freak out, said passenger Levi Lynn.

Mohamed Hassan, another passenger on Flight 4345, said the experience left him worried about lasting health effects.

"I'm just concerned for like myself and everyone's health because I mean like inhaled toxic fumes for like four minutes."

The evacuation has drawn scrutiny over some passengers' behavior during the process. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said it is deeply troubling when passengers do not follow crew instructions.

"It's extremely concerning when passengers do not follow the instructions to leave all their bags behind, Nelson said.

Nelson said takeoff and landing are the two most critical phases of a flight, and crews are trained and ready to act during both.

"This is part of our commands for a reason. It's part of our safety briefing for a reason, Nelson said.

Carry-on bags during evacuations have been a concern for federal regulators for years. Just last September, the FAA issued a Safety Alert for Operators in other words, a directive telling airlines to re-evaluate their evacuation procedures regarding carry-ons because of similar incidents.

Watch Adria Iraheta's report in the player below:

Passengers have taken their carry-on items with them on a number of recent evacuations. This slows the evacuation and puts lives at risk. Carry-on items also can damage emergency slides, an FAA spokesperson told Denver7 on Monday.

The SAFO recommends airlines: 

The Association of Flight Attendants is also conducting its own investigation into the incident. Nelson said the union wants to identify what needs to change.

"Whether that's part of the training, whether it's part of the announcements, whether it's part of the briefings for the passengers as they are going through their whole process of buying the ticket, said Nelson. "As you're thinking about flying, have it in your head if I need to leave, I need to get up and go, not stop and grab a bag that could make everyone else burn on an airplane or make it impossible for myself to get off, too."

Measures such as locking overhead bins during flights have been considered in the past but were never implemented due to safety reasons, Nelson said.

The union is providing emotional support to cabin crew members not only to help them process the trauma and grief, but also to process the what-ifs like what they could have done differently during the evacuation process.

All things considered, experts say the pilots and crew appear to have done everything they should have as part of the rejected takeoff saving many lives in the process.

MSU Denver aviation expert Chad Kendall said the maneuver was a textbook example of what crews should do in case of an emergency.

Rejecting at high speeds is a critical maneuver, but they performed it to their training. High remarks for how they responded, to the pilots and then the cabin crew members of getting all the passengers off safely, Kendall said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

DENVER Goalies across the NHL have found unique ways to share their personality on their protective gear. Transforming their goalie masks with symbols and signs that fans have turned to love.

Watch Maggy Wolanske's report in the player below:

Colorado Avalanche Scott Wedgewood has burgundy and blue all over his helmet with designs of his daughter as Baby Peach and his two dogs. These helmet designs are not just for the pros; local youth proudly showcase their personalities and the motivation to play.

Scott Sage, a visual arts teacher at Trails West Elementary and die-hard Avs fan, transforms blank hockey masks into personalized artwork.

"It's different working on helmets, just taking things from a 2-D aspect, or that's just the design to putting it on to a 3-D surface," said Sage. "I think it's just, I don't know, there's something about just watching it come to life. I think the fun part for me is actually getting to sit down with the kids and actually ask them, like, what do you want it to look like?"

Working at Trails West Elementary is a full-circle moment for Sage, who attended the school. He remembers when his current classroom was a kindergarten room where he was picked up as a student outside.

"Both my parents were teachers growing up, so I always kind of knew that's the route that I was going to take," said Sage. "I love working with kids, and so getting my first full year in has just been unbelievable, and getting to know the kids really well."

While art is one passion, hockey is another. He's not only a proud Avalanche fan but also plays goalie and is thrilled with how the team is playing so far.

"Oh, I'm stoked, it's eerily familiar to 2022, but I feel like we're even stronger, especially with our goalies, and I think the lumber yard is the best in the league," Sage said.

He has noticed the storytelling ability of hockey masks, where players can have their personalities shine on the ice through their gear.

Watch Scott Sage explain how he transforms blank hockey masks in the player below:

One of the masks displays two wolves and is proudly worn by Amelia Howser. She described the special meaning this design has.

"I did wolves because they symbolize courageousness and relentlessness, and they symbolize what a goalie is actually like being about," said Howser. "I picked 'howler' cause I grew up loving wolves. Me and my grandfather always used to howl at the moon every time I went over to his house, and he started calling me 'howler.'"

While Sage has designed several goalie masks, the ones worn by his former students hold special meaning and are a reminder of the heart in hockey.

"Ultimately, that's what you want to do as a teacher," said Sage. "You want to leave marks on the kids and hope that when they leave, when they're older, they still remember you and stuff like that. This is one way that they're going to remember me as long as they're wearing it, so I think that's huge."

DENVER Former Broncos quarterback and Ring of Famer Craig Morton has died at age 83, the Broncos announced Monday.

He passed away on May 9, his family confirmed.

Morton played for the Broncos for six seasons (1977-82) and delivered the franchises first playoff berth, two division titles, and three postseason appearances.

For his performance during that 1977 season, Morton was named the AFC's Offensive Player of the Year, PFWA Comeback Player of the Year, and NFL UPI MVP.

He played through a painful hip injury during the AFC Championship win that sent Denver to Super Bowl XII.

"Craig Morton is unbelievable," said Ring of Famer Haven Moses following the Broncos' first AFC Championship, according to a 1978 New York Times article. "To me, he's the most valuable player in the National Football League this year."

Morton retired as the Broncos alltime leader in passing yards, touchdowns, attempts, and completions, and still ranks third in regularseason wins.

Morton was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 1988, alongside Moses and Jim Turner. He was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.

Before Denver, Morton played for the Cowboys and Giants, finishing his NFL career with 183 touchdowns, nearly 28,000 passing yards, and 81 wins.

A standout at the University of California, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

Morton passed away surrounded by his loved ones in Mill Valley, California.

He is survived by his wife, Kym; his sister; his children; and his grandchildren.

In the final days of the 2026 legislative session, two Colorado mothers are taking a stand for their sons who were killed by police through a bill they believe will help other families in the future.

Senate Bill 26-190 would require law enforcement agencies share recordings of deadly encounters involving civilians with their families before the public. In addition, it would implement protocols around investigations worked by several agencies, and restrict attorneys or officers from making statements that could "prejudice legal proceedings."

Denver7 Colette Bordelon reports on the impacts this bill could have for families in the video player below:

Basic information like charges, public records, investigation status, and arrest details could still be shared publicly.

According to State Senate President James Coleman, D-District 33, this concept has been in the works since the beginning of the year.

The bill ultimately does two things in the name of transparency. One is making sure that families can get access to body cam footage in a reasonable amount of time, as well as some kind of communication from the department where the interaction happened with law enforcement and the individual," Coleman said. I want to be clear: This bill was way bigger than that in the beginning. There's a lot of issues that we need to address when it comes to relationships between law enforcement and community. But, we thought this is a great start.

SB26-190 would require law enforcement agencies proactively provide relevant video and audio recordings when officers kill a person to their immediate family within 21 days of the incident.

A family member could decline viewing or listening to such recordings.

In addition, families would have to be notified of their right to view the footage at least 72 hours before it is released to the public.

"We just want to make sure that the measures are in place, so that in the case of something unfortunate happening, that families can get information. You get clarity," said Coleman. We know that it's not going to necessarily be the perfect solution, but it's a solution that gets us a better outcome for the families.

Those unedited recordings would be available to anyone upon request, but only after that 21-day family notification period has ended.

Within the first day of any use-of-force incidents where a person is killed, law enforcement agencies must update all known immediate family members of the victim on the current status of the investigation and inform them of every agency that is part of the investigation.

Coleman believes the bill, which is being run by Democratic lawmakers, will pass out of both chambers before the end of the session.

"I'm the Senate President. Not the president of the Democrats or Republicans or the Black community only, but I am Black, and have a responsibility to people who look like me to make sure that I'm running these policies that impact not just us we believe everybody will be impacted by this in a positive way," said Coleman. The folks who need some kind of direction in terms of how they better communicate with families and body cam footage when it comes to these incidents, they'll have a blueprint to utilize."

LaRonda Jones understands the pain of losing a loved one at the hands of law enforcement.

"There's no backing down. There's no moving aside," Jones said. "I'm standing strongly until this fight is completely over, until we get justice for my son, Kylin Lewis, and to let the officers know that things are about to change."

Kilyn Lewis, 37, was unarmed when he was shot and killed by an Aurora SWAT officer in May of 2024.

"I cannot watch the body cam footage because I don't want to see the last things that my son did because of our closeness, our relationship I want to see remember him in the peaceful moments that we had," Jones explained. For other families that would like to see the full scope what happened to their loved one, what this bill, 190, does for them... Whatever the case may be, they'll be able to see what happened in those moments.

Jones, alongside Veronica Seabron, came to the Colorado State Capitol to watch SB26-190 during its second reading on the Senate floor on Friday.

"You lose a loved one, time keeps going, but in your heart, the time stops," Seabron said.

Her son, 23-year-old Jalin Seabron, was shot and killed by a Douglas County deputy when responding to a shooting inside the Main Event in Highlands Ranch in Feb. of 2025.

"I wanted to see the footage. I never heard anything back from the police until I actually got an attorney. And then once I got an attorney, then they allowed me to go to the police station to see the video with my attorney," Seabron said. Me and my attorney saw the video, but the public didn't, so I felt like I was the only one who knew what really happened before all the speculations were put out.

Seabron believes SB26-190 will give future families the ability to see that footage, if they would like to, in a timely manner.

This bill would be fantastic for other mothers to not just start from square one," said Seabron. "It's been a wound that you have to reopen in order for people in society, for the public to see what is actually fair, what is fair for the living victims that are left.

The families have worked closely with MiDian Shofner, the CEO of the Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership, on the legislation. Shofner said SB26-190 exemplifies practical, not just conceptual, legislation.

"The opportunity and the transparency that will come through this legislation is something that I don't think we've seen in modern time," Shofner said. While we didn't agree on everything, I have to applaud the legislators for holding the line to making sure that it was the families that were prioritized to ensure that we are not talking just about intent, but we are actually talking about and holding expectancy of impact.

Shofner said SB26-190 is the first step in a "comprehensive legislative proposal" that is now taking shape.

In the first hearing for SB26-190, Republican lawmakers on the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs committee voted against advancing the legislation.

State Sen. Rod Pelton, a Republican who represents District 35, provided a statement to Denver7 explaining his position. Pelton said the bill is "another example of government rushing to politicize law enforcement," and that the proposal "risks undermining due process, compromising active investigations, and fueling public outrage before all the facts are known."

Read the full statement from Pelton here:

The Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police has concerns with portions of the bill they believe could "create legal ambiguity and unintentionally discourage timely, factual communication with the public during critical moments." The organization told Denver7 they support the goal of transparency for families and communities after such incidents and are working alongside lawmakers to ensure the legislation reflects that.

"Police chiefs have a responsibility to support thorough investigations while also helping keep their communities informed and safe. Clear communication helps prevent misinformation, reduce unnecessary community tension and provide important context," a spokesperson for the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police said in a statement. "Our focus remains on ensuring any legislation strengthens transparency for families and communities without undermining public communication, transparency or community safety."

In Colorado, Senate Bill 20-217 implemented an increased use of body-worn cameras. The following year, House Bill 21-1250 adjusted that original legislation, clarifying when body-worn cameras or dash cameras should be activated and setting certain provisions around how the footage is released.

SB26-190 has passed out of the Senate and is heading to the House of Representatives for consideration. There is no estimated cost to the state.

The 2026 legislative session ends on Wednesday.

DENVER "Increased smoke and flaring" may be visible at the Suncor refinery in Commerce City as staff restart operations following a power outage, the company said Monday afternoon.

A notification, which was issued at 1:05 p.m., reads, "No action by the public is required."

A third-party electrical power issue knocked out the power at Suncor in Commerce City.

"There will be increased flaring while we work to restart our operations, which may include increased noise and visible smoke," the company said. "Flaring is an important safety measure and environmental control tool that keeps our facilities running safely."

It said that a community air monitoring network did not detect any air levels about "above acute health reference guidelines during this event."

On May 8, Suncor also warned about a similar situation, writing in an alert "Due to continuing startup activities following maintenance work, increased smoke and flaring may be visible at Commerce City operations."

Colorado state lawmakers approved sweeping changes to the state's landmark artificial intelligence law over the weekend, with the rewrite now heading to Gov. Jared Polis' desk.

The updated law would create guardrails addressing discrimination by AI algorithms used to make consequential decisions about an individual's access to or eligibility for things like education, employment, housing, loans, insurance and healthcare services. The bill's framework is the result of recommendations from a task force convened by Polis that includes AI developers, companies that use the technology, and consumers.

SB26-189 requires companies and organizations to give a clear notice to consumers about any use of automated decision-making technology. The bill also gives people the right to request a human review of an adverse decision made by algorithms.

WATCH: Denver7's Maggie Bryan breaks down the legislation  and why some groups say it doesn't go far enough

"Businesses and entities are using technology to determine if we get a job, to determine if we get a loan, to possibly to determine what our healthcare diagnosis is. And so as we move into the world like this, people want to know what happens if they get it wrong, because in real life, if they get it wrong, it hurts people," said Assistant House Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver.

In 2024, state lawmakers passed a first-of-its-kind law regarding AI algorithmic discrimination, including requirements for companies that use the technology to conduct risk assessments of the systems. Bacon said the law created concern for companies who felt responsible for any harmful outcomes of technology they did not make.

The updated bill does away with required risk assessments and instead focuses on an accountability framework to establish who is responsible when someone is harmed by algorithmic discrimination.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, the bill would require AI developers to provide companies with a description of the technologys intended uses, categories of data used to train the system, known limitations and risks, and instructions for appropriate use and human review. The Attorney General would be able to enforce the bill through the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.

Robert Lindgren, with Colorado's chapter of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), said the bill is a good first step to protect Coloradans, but said there is more work to be done.

"If we're looking at a framework that actually protects more of the public, it's that you test these systems ahead of time to ensure that they do not discriminate," Lindgren said.

In a statement to Denver7, a spokesperson for Polis' office called the framework "a nation-leading model" and said the governor was looking forward to signing the bill.

Full statement:

The Denver Summit have weathered their fair share of adversity over the last couple of weeks, but in Houston the literal weather entered the chat.

Storms in the area delayed their match against the Dash for 90-plus minutes.

As head coach Nick Cushing likes to say, adversity is a terrible thing to waste.

"When you go through these kinds of spells of being challenged, you either capitulate or you rise to the challenge," said Summit captain Janine Sonis.

Sonis emulated rising to the challenge, and the entire group grabbed the game by its hands - a phrase I had never heard before Tash Flint enlightened me, and considering the form Flint is in I figured it wise to take notes.

Flint scored for the third match in a row, and Sonis scored her hometown club's first ever brace. Denver avoided any late drama to snap their two-game losing skid - beating the Dash 4-1.

"From minute one to minute 90 we were in control," said Sonis after the victory. "I was really proud of everyone who came on the field, we really stepped up. When you look at some of the individual performances we had tonight, I think it was really important for us to come here and get the win. We'll walk out of here and be proud of that full game performance."

"Every player on both sides of the ball played at a really high level," said Cushing. "We have the capability to be an attacking team, [and I'm] really pleased with the chances we created and the goals we scored tonight."

Cushing took the Josh Kroenke approach to answering questions about his starting IX in the wake of two straight disappointing defeats - everything very much seemed to be on the table.

But I'm not sure we expected to see one of Denver's veteran leaders relegated to the bench against Houston.

Watch episode 9 of Denver7's Pitchside in the video below:

A week after becoming the 19th player in NWSL history to reach 15,000 minutes played, Carson Pickett was not in the starting lineup against the Dash. Coach Cushing opted for youth, bringing on Ayo Oke to play in Pickett's fullback role.

They also made a change in attack, bringing on rookie Natalie Means for her first ever NWSL start.

16 minutes into the match, for the third straight match, Denver took the lead. Yazmeen Ryan opened up the scoring a week ago, and against her former club she dropped a sultry cross to the boot of Sonis - who opened her account with the Summit and scored her first goal of the season.

Later in the first half, Tash Flint was was up to her old tricks - stealing a lackadaisical pass from Houston keeper Jane Campbell and dispatching her fourth goal on the campaign. That extended Denver's lead to 2-0 and tied Flint with Melissa Kssler for the team lead in goals scored this season.

"We're starting to get real influential play from Tash, and she'll still give more," said Cushing. "There's a lot of detail in [Tash's goal], she's enjoying her football at the moment and the more we can get her on the ball the more you're going to see Tash's quality."

Before we hit the break, a clumsy challenge by Flint in her own penalty box gave the NWSL refereeing crew enough clearance to award Houston a penalty kick - which was scored by Maggie Graham.

Denver was once again slipping into old bad habits - holding poor shape, giving away cheap possession - becoming artists of their own demise. Thankfully, the halftime whistle blew and the team was able to re-group.

This time, they rose to the challenge for the second 45.

Sustained pressure out of the break led to beautiful service from Oke, who finds a wide open Delanie Sheehan standing mere feet away from goal. Sheehan scores the easiest header of her career against her former team, and her first goal for the Summit extends their lead back to two goals.

The ruthlessness Cushing's been looking for came in the 72nd minute, when absolute divine ball control lead to another goal for Sonis - earning the Summit's first ever brace.

Mentality certainly wasn't an issue for Denver as they kept Houston at bay for the entirety of the second half. Short of the questionable call in the first half, Abby Smith would have her fourth clean sheet of the season.

"We've had a fun day," said Sonis. "We handled the delay really well, went with the flow, and once we were finally let loose we had a really great performance. Hopefully this is a turn in the tide for us."

Next up, the Summit return home to face the Orlando Pride at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park for Pride Night on May 16th.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Kirill Kaprizov scored first and assisted on the next two goals as the Minnesota Wild forced a goalie change and handed the Colorado Avalanche their first loss in this postseason with a 5-1 victory in Game 3 of their second-round NHL playoff series on Saturday night.

Quinn Hughes followed Kaprizov's four-on-four score late in the first period with a four-on-three goal less than two minutes later. Ryan Hartman batted in a deflected power-play shot with 4:23 elapsed in the second period to prompt an early departure for Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood, who was replaced by Mackenzie Blackwood.

Nathan MacKinnon got the Avalanche on the board on a power play later in the second period before Brock Faber answered just 20 seconds later by deflecting a puck past Blackwood.

Matt Boldy added an empty-net goal and Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves in his return to the net for the Wild after a 9-6 loss in the unhinged series opener prompted a start for Filip Gustavsson in Game 2.

The Avalanche will take a 2-1 lead into Game 4 in Minnesota on Monday, before the teams return to Colorado for Game 5 on Wednesday.

The Avalanche faced their first multigoal deficit of this postseason after they had 12 different players score over the first two games of this series, an NHL record.

Faber had two assists and has nine points in nine playoff games. Mats Zuccarello, who took the shot that Faber tipped past Blackwood, also had two assists and has 10 points in seven playoff games.

Wedgewood, who led the NHL in save percentage and goals against average during the regular season and had matched the franchise postseason record with six consecutive victories, made nine saves. Blackwood had 12.

___

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Colorado pinch-hitter Troy Johnston doubled home automatic runner Willi Castro in the 11th inning, and Jake McCarthy plated Johnston with a single, boosting the Rockies to a 9-7 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

After the Phillies climbed out of a six-run hole and tied the game on rookie Justin Crawford's first major league homer a two-out, two-run shot in the eighth Colorado reliever Victor Vodnik (1-2) went 1-2-3 through the heart of the Phillies lineup in the ninth, then pitched a scoreless 10th.

The Rockies Juan Mejia retired Kyle Schwarber (who went 1 for 6 with a homer and four strikeouts) and Bryce Harper in the 11th to end it and earn his second save. Brad Keller (1-1) worked the 11th for Philadelphia.

Colorados Hunter Goodman had four hits, including a two-run homer to key a five-run fourth inning. Philadelphia starter Jesus Luzardo was removed after facing seven batters without getting an out in the frame.

Luzardo seemed in control until the fourth, when Colorado had five hits, including Goodman's homer and a two-run double by Kyle Karros, to push ahead 6-0.

Rockies starter Chase Dollander allowed one hit through the first five innings, but he made a mistake to Schwarber, who put one into the upper deck in right field to start the sixth. It was Schwarbers 13th homer of the season and 200th as a Phillie.

Four batters later, J.T. Realmuto doubled to bring home Brandon Marsh, cutting the Rockies' lead to 6-2 and ending Dollanders night.

Tyler Freeman homered for Colorado in the seventh. In the eighth, Marsh singled home Harper, who was on base four times with two singles and a pair of walks. Bryson Stott then lined a two-run double to make it 7-5.

Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-3, 5.04 ERA) opposes Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (2-3, 5.06) on Saturday night.

___

https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

DENVER, Colo. A cyberattack on Canvas, the online learning platform used by universities nationwide, knocked the system offline Thursday, during one of the busiest times of the academic year.

Several Colorado students were racing to meet deadlines as final exams and papers came due. Many rely on Canvas daily to submit assignments and track coursework.

Hear how this cyberattack impacted students and the not-so-typical homework it is spurring them to do to protect their online accounts.

"I was online with my friends, and they were saying, 'Oh, it got like hacked by this odd company,' and so I was like, 'You're kidding.' It was so stupid that they did it right before finals week," said Grace Gallison, student at CU Denver.

For other students, like Caden Rickher, he said this shutdown was really badly timed and caused a real problem, as students could not access anything through the online system.

"Some of the teachers weren't even fully aware of it at the time, so we had to email them personally and say, 'Hey, like, I can't turn in my assignment today because of the fact that Canvas is down' and they had to extend deadlines, which was really annoying," Rickher said.

Rodney Gullatte Jr., a certified ethical hacker and CEO of Firma IT Solutions, explained how attackers identified Canvas as a high-value target.

"The way they try to run this is like, how can we find a dependency between all the schools? What are they all connected to that we can then hack and hold them all hostage? Canvas is the core," Gullatte said.

Gullatte warned that the Canvas attack is not an isolated incident and that educational institutions should expect more.

"What's coming next the hackers going after the schools directly, and this is not just colleges and universities, but school districts, any type of educational institution... They're going to come after your own networks, which have a bigger treasure trove of personal information," Gullatte said.

He said the stakes extend well beyond disrupted coursework, with sensitive personal data now potentially at risk.

"Now we're talking about financial data. Now we're talking about Social Security numbers and insurance information. They're going to get all that information," Gullatte said. "Right now, there's emails going out that say that from your professor, 'Hey, click on this link real quick,' It's not real. Don't click on that link."

Canvas has since been restored, with students expressing relief, but also concern over how their personal information may now be compromised.

"I checked this morning, thankfully, plenty of my assignments I got in today," Cavraro said. "I'm really happy about that."

"I definitely want to change my password and make sure that I have different passwords on all of my accounts, because I think that's a big thing is that if they get your one password for one school account, if that's the same for the rest of it, they just have access," Gallison said.

Gullatte said the attack is a reminder for users to take steps to protect their accounts. He recommended using different passwords across all accounts and enabling two-factor authentication, and he wrote an article detailing the overall impact of this cyberattack.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

LONE TREE, Colo. Lindsay Mallon, nursing director of perioperative services at HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge, was recently recognized with the DAISY Award for leader of the Year.

Watch our feature story on Lindsay by Denver7's Ethan Carlson in the video below.

Mallon oversees the departments that support the operating room, from pre-admission testing through recovery, and works with surgeons, their offices and nursing staff on surgical cases.

Healthcare is a huge team sport and, specifically in surgery, it operates very similarly to a sports team, and thats always been a good area for me to lead into, Mallon said.

Kristen Fiddes, chief nursing officer at HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge, said Mallons approach to leadership sets the tone for the entire department.

This department obviously loves working for her. They love coming to work for her every single day, Fiddes said. She listens, I think, is No. 1. Her nurses know they can come to her for anything, and shes going to listen to them, and shes going to do what she can to reduce any barriers to her work.

That quality matters in a job that can be stressful. Mallon said maintaining a calm presence is a priority.

I have had great mentors in the nursing world that have really taught me how to lead and think clearly and be calm and meet the staff where they are and learn how to coach them, Mallon said. What I tell the nurses is, 'We want you to come to work and be your best self, that you can be your best self outside of work.'

The state of Colorado has also taken steps to address nursing workforce needs, with recent legislation that invests more money into nursing schools and streamlines nurse training programs.

I think the difference between 2022 and now is we definitely are seeing more nurses graduate from nursing school and entering the profession, which is fantastic, Fiddes said.

The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 by the members of the family of Patrick Barnes, who died of complications of an auto-immune disease.

Its kind of the Super Bowl of nursing, is what we call it, Mallon said. Im just really honored to receive it.

The recipient receives a sculpture called The Healers Touch, representing the bond between nurses and their patients. The sculpture is hand-carved by a Shona artist from Zimbabwe, and work at the DAISY Foundation supports communities in that country.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

DENVER A dozen people reported minor injuries and five were taken to hospitals after a Frontier Airlines jet on takeoff hit and killed a person walking across a runway at Denver International Airport Friday night, according to airport officials.

The jet hit the pedestrian during takeoff around 11:20 p.m. Friday, according to DIA.

An official confirmed to ABC News that "the person was at least partially consumed by one of the engines," adding it caused a "brief engine fire, extinguished by firefighters."

DIA officials later confirmed in a statement that the person "jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway." The person killed has not been identified and is not believed to be an airport employee. Officials said the fenceline is intact.

Denver7 reporter Lauren Lennon has the latest update in the video player below.

There were 231 people on board the Los Angeles-bound flight. According to Frontier Airlines, 224 were passengers and seven were crew members. After the passengers onboard the Airbus A321neo evacuated on the runway using emergency slides, they were bussed to the terminal and most departed the airport on another Frontier flight.

In a statement, DIA said the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified, and the runway where this happened 17L will remain closed for the rest of the morning. Around 11:30 a.m., DIA said the runaway had reopened.

The Denver Police Department is also investigating this incident.

Victoria Lohman, who was a passenger on the flight, spoke to Denver7.

"Started going down the runway and all of the sudden this huge bang," she said. "Everyone got really frightened and understandably so."

Another passenger, Jacob Athens, posted visuals of people sliding down with their backpacks and what looked like a damaged engine, the Associated Press reported.

As we were lifting off the engine of the plane exploded. There was so much smoke we couldnt even see 1 ft in front of us, Athens said on his Facebook page, adding that passengers had to wait for over an hour on the runway and still no transport or help with the cold.

Another passenger, Levi Lynn, decided to stay back home here in Colorado instead of taking one of the alternate Frontier flights on Saturday. He described the moment the collision happened.

Right as I looked out the window, and I could feel the bang, you know, it was like a shock wave, but it was so quick. The fire lasted, I'd say about 10 or 15 seconds, and then it just let itself out. Thats when the smoke really filled the cabin, Lynn said.

He said people started to panic as the smoke smelled strongly of chemicals and was "burning our eyes." Passengers were evacuated on the runway using emergency slides, which Lynn captured on camera.

Yeah, it really all happened in slow motion, Lynn said. So, I'm like replaying it in my mind and it was so weird to go from something so mundane and ordinary to something so out of the ordinary.

While Lynn did not make it to California for the weekend, the experience reminded him to tell loved ones he cares about them before take off. It also is one flight he will never forget.

This is the wildest story, probably I'll ever have, especially when it comes to flying, Lynn said.

In the video below, watch more of Maggy Wolanske's coverage as she spoke with passengers on this plane about the experience.

Another passenger, Mohamed Hassan is still in shock over what happened. He also described the cabin filling with smoke and people screaming after the collision.

When Denver7 spoke with him, he still had trouble believing it was real.

... Until, like, six hours after, it still felt fake, Hasson said. Like, I thought it was going to wake up from a dream or something.

Two big concerns he has are one, the amount of smoke that was inhaled before they were evacuated and two, how the person was able to get onto the runway. While he wont be traveling any time soon, he did have a message for the pilots.

My heart goes out to the pilots because, I know it's a really heavy thing that can be on your conscience. I know it wasn't his fault at all, Hasson said. He might think that he killed someone on purpose, but I just want to let him know all the passengers are with him. We stand with him for sure.

Denver7 reached out to Frontier Airlines Saturday morning.

Below is a statement the airline provided:

Denver7 obtained the communications between the Frontier pilot and the air traffic controller. Here's a portion of that exchange:

Pilot: Tower, Frontier, Tower, 4345 we're stopping on the runway there. We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.

ATC: 4345 I'm going to be rolling the trucks now. Do you can you know the souls on board and fuel remaining?

Pilot: All right, 4345 we have 231 souls on board. We have 220 1320 pounds of fuel on board. There was an individual walking across the runway. We've got smoke in the aircraft. We're going to evacuate on the runway.

ATC: We're having ops and emergency vehicles going all the way now seven. They're about halfway down the runway, of one seven left. They're evacuating the runway. The aircraft on the runway,

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Englewood police are investigating two recent cases of thieves drilling holes into gas tanks to steal fuel from cars.

The incidents happened overnight in the area of S. Galapago Street and W. Cornell Avenue, according to police.

Hear from a neighbor and a mechanic about this issue in our report below.

Neighbor Dale Peters said something similar happened to his wife's car. Peters is now out $2,000 for repairs.

"I get it's the price of gas, but it's still criminal, 100%," Peters said.

When asked what message he would send to the thieves, Peters had a simple response.

"Who does that? You know? I don't know," he said.

At Hochkiss Auto Repair, senior manager Cody Leach said they often see this happening to trucks and SUVs because of their bigger gas tanks.

"A lot of times they're in the back, where the spare tire is over here," Leach pointed out.

Leach said thieves often can't collect all the fuel they drain, but they'll get away with what they can.

He added while some cars have metal skid plates protecting the tank, others just have the plastic tank.

"They'll just come in right from the side of the car, drill a hole, put a pan or something underneath it," Leach said.

Police say there is not much drivers can do other than park in a garage. Neighbors, however, are hopeful the thieves will be caught.

"There's cameras everywhere, so hopefully they catch them," said neighbor Thomas Painter.

Meanwhile, Peters said he has taken his own precautions.

"I got cameras everywhere, so does that help? I hope, you know, (it will) deter them away," Peters said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

AURORA, Colo. A two-vehicle crash on northbound I-225 Friday evening sent three people to the hospital, according to the Aurora Police Department.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, but it occurred just north of E. Iliff Avenue on I-225. The northbound lanes in this area are shut down, with the exception of one lane, police said.

Spokesperson Gabby Easterwood with the police department said all three people who were brought to the hospital were talking and breathing before they were transported.

Drivers should avoid this area.