Westbound lanes of U.S. 36 were closed near Westminster after a crash Friday night, according to an alert around 10 p.m. from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The lanes were closed between Church Ranch Road and Colorado 128 and 120th Avenue at Mile Point 49.5.

Officials said to expect delays in the area.

The City of Westminster is asking residents to help locate and report road damage during its third annual Pothole Palooza.

Street operations superintendent Brock Hufford is overseeing the event, relying on the watchful eyes of the people who live in the city to track down potholes before they become bigger issues.

If you left a pothole alone, its going to keep growing and getting bigger and larger and cause more problems, Hufford said. Our goal is to get all the potholes filled so we're caught up for the season to where we can put our efforts towards milling, paving streets, and other road maintenance that needs to happen.

Westminster City Councilor Jack Johnson said the four-day pothole purge aims to save money by tackling the road damage from last winter all at once.

We have bulk purchased the materials to fill all the potholes, so theyre saving in bulk purchasing, Johnson said.

He also said a major goal of the event is to urge the residents of Westminster to report any and all potholes they come across.

We get the calls here and there, especially if its in front of your driveway, but there are plenty of roads that people drive where they dont even think about reporting it to the city, Johnson said.

Residents have until Thursday, April 30 at 2 p.m. to report any potholes. Requests can be submitted online at Access Westminster or through the Access Westminster app for iPhone or Android. Every resident who reports a pothole will be nominated for a drawing to receive a personalized street sign from the City of Westminster.

The citys goal is to fix potholes within 24 hours of being notified, long after Pothole Palooza ends.

Its one of the most rewarding things about being on council, Johnson said. People say where its I have a pothole or I have a leak, or whatever it is as a city and as a council, were able to just immediately respond to their needs.

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.

Westminster is launching its first-ever Westy Restaurant Week from April 17 to 26, featuring special menus from nearly 40 local restaurants.

The event aims to highlight the citys diverse food scene and support small businesses. Diners can download a digital passport online to see participating restaurants and accrue rewards.

Mayor Claire Carmelia, who has been in office for only four months, said the event supports the families that run these businesses.

They are the backbone of the city, Carmelia said. Of course, it is often families that run those businesses. So, its up to us to help ensure that we support them.

Tonia Scalzotto, co-owner of Scalzotto Italian Restaurant, is offering a special menu, including a four-course meal for two people for $55.

Its a great deal for people to get out and experience restaurants that they normally wouldnt go out and see, Scalzotto said. We have such a diverse group of restaurants here in the city, and I think it's going to be great for everybody.

Scalzotto noted that the event helps independently owned restaurants that do not have large marketing budgets get their message out to more people.

It really just helps us get the word out that were here, Scalzotto said. Its going to allow us to touch a lot more people.

Lauren Joy, general manager of Tap & Burger in Westminster, is offering a $35 deal that includes one appetizer, one entree and one dessert.

Its different. Its not Denver, its not Boulder, Joy said. Were kind of an island out here, but that island is expanding, and its definitely a destination that you want to come to.

Carmelia hopes the event draws in customers not just from Westminster, but from the surrounding area.

I hope that they learn what a diverse food scene we have here, Carmelia said. We're really trying to reach out so that they know that you don't just drive through Westminster on the way to Denver. Stop here. We are a destination. We have great things to offer, and we're excited to have you here.

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.

A Westminster small business owner says he is living in constant fear after his business was targeted by burglars twice in a matter of weeks.

Asad Jawad told Denver7 he recently immigrated to the United States to start his own business and five months ago, his dream became reality when he opened Alpha X Cell Phone Repair in Westminster.

"I started my business as nothing with hard work and dedication," Jawad said.

Now, that sense of security is shattered.

Surveillance video shows a suspect using an electric handsaw to cut into the shop in early February, and again just days ago. The burglar made off with multiple phones.

The suspect is described as an unknown male wearing a hoodie, pants and black shoes.

"They have broke the door, and then they broke the window, and they have stole a valuable inventory," Jawad said. "I live in a constant fear and stress that this will happen again."

Westminster Police Department Public Affairs Coordinator Samantha Spitz said repeated break-ins like this are uncommon.

The city has already seen 50 burglaries this year, according to police.

"It's just sad when we see our local business owners, small business owners, being victimized by people because they're working so hard," Spitz said.

Spitz noted Jawad did everything right as a business owner to protect his livelihood.

"They've called police. They have a security system in play. They have alarms," Spitz said.

The suspect left no physical evidence behind. Detectives said some of the stolen phones lack serial numbers, making them difficult to track.

"It really demotivates. I am sad, you know, I cannot sleep properly. This situation has affected me emotionally and mentally," Jawad said.

Despite the sleepless nights, Jawad remains focused on looking out for his community.

"We should always help each other, to protect each other," Jawad said.

If you recognize the suspect or have any information related to the case, you can contact WPD at 303-658-4360.

You can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000 by contacting Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867).

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.

Four more measles cases were identified in the Denver metro area, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced Friday morning.

The CDPHE and Weld County Health Department identified the disease in three unvaccinated Adams County residents and one unvaccinated Weld County resident, the CDPHE said.

Denver7's Veronica Acosta talked to employees at a site with potential measles exposure. Watch her report in the video player below.

All four are tied to Broomfield High School and Broomfield Heights Middle School.

Eighty students and staff were instructed this week to stay home from school amid the state's first measles outbreak of 2026.

The CDPHE and Weld County Health Department are working with school administrators to notify students and staff who may need to take additional health precautions.

Measles is a highly contagious disease, the CDPHE warned Friday. Symptoms begin with a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. It's usually followed by a rash several days later that starts on a patient's face before spreading.

Anyone who has not had the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR vaccine can still get it within 72 hours of exposure to help prevent the illness. In some cases, some people can get immunoglobulin within six days to prevent or lessen illness.

CDPHE has added to the list of places people could have been exposed to measles from this latest four cases:

Anyone who visited one of these locations at the listed dates and times is asked to watch for measles symptoms for 21 days. If you develop symptoms, call CDPHE at 720-653-3369 or contact your local public health agency found here immediately.

As of Friday, Colorado has reported cases of the virus in Adams (5), Arapahoe (1) and Broomfield (1), and Weld (1) counties. On average, the state sees between zero and two cases each year. Last year, Colorado reported 36 measles cases amid a multi-state outbreak of the virus in the U.S.

Across the country, the number of confirmed measles infections has already topped 1,000. For context, 2026 has already seen more than half of all measles cases in more than two months than it saw in all of 2025.

Prior coverage:

BROOMFIELD, Colo. State health officials said Monday a second student at Broomfield High has tested positive for measles, and announced that exposures to the highly contagious virus have expanded to include a Chick-fil-A and a Chipotle restaurant in other parts of the metro.

The student is the first case for Adams County and the third for the state so far this year, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). All three cases have been in people not vaccinated against the virus.

The student could have exposed people at Broomfield High between Tuesday, Feb. 24 and Friday, Feb. 27, from about 8 a.m. to about 6 p.m. each of those days, according to a spokesperson from the state health department.

The student could also have exposed people at a Chick-fil-A located at 4260 W. 121st Ave. in Broomfield on Wednesday, Feb. 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at a Chipotle restaurant in Westminster, located at 5160 W. 120th Ave., on Thursday, Feb. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through the air and can remain airborne for up to two hours meaning the individual may have exposed hundreds of people while visiting all three locations long after they were gone.

School immunization data from the CDPHE shows the Boulder Valley School District, which Broomfield High School is under, has a 95.7% vaccination rate for the MMR vaccine above the 95% herd immunity threshold needed to prevent a rise in cases in the community.

Though the vaccine has a 97% efficacy rate against infection, about 3 in every 100 people can still get infected if exposed to the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of Monday, 26 Broomfield High School students were still forbidden from attending school down from an initial 42 on Friday after school district officials and public health authorities worked to verify each student's vaccination status.

In a letter to parents Monday night, Principal Ginger Ramsey warned that additional measles cases at the school could prolong the quarantine period for unvaccinated or immunocompromised students, and encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated with the MMR vaccine as doing so, "may reduce the amount of time you or your student will be excluded from school and other activities."

Denver7 reached out to the Boulder Valley School District to ask what kind of academic support children who cannot attend class will receive. In a statement, a BVSD spokesman said the school would reach out to parents with those details by mid-week.

We then asked if Broomfield High was considering canceling any upcoming spring sports or other school events at the school or with rival campuses given Broomfield High's two measles cases.

"We are following the lead of our public health agencies and they have been very careful regarding quarantine and exclusion. To date, they have not suggested the cancellation or modification of any events," said BSVD spokesman Randy Barber. "Weve had to reschedule a few games because of the impact of quarantines or exclusions, but to my knowledge no schools have canceled games with Broomfield due to the cases."

Anyone who believes they may have been exposed especially those who have not been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine should monitor for symptoms for 21 days and avoid public gatherings or high-risk settings, health officials said in a news release.

State health officials said those who were potentially exposed in this latest case may develop symptoms through March 18, 19 and 20.

Symptoms to watch out for include anything from a fever, a cough, a runny nose, and red, watery eyes that develop into a rash that starts on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body about three to five days after symptoms first start. A person with measles is contagious four days before and four days after the rash appears.

While most people recover within two or three weeks after contracting the virus, unvaccinated people run the risk of complications from the disease, including ear infections, seizures, pneumonia, immune amnesia, brain damage and ultimately, death.

Measles only spreads from people who show symptoms; it does not spread from people who arent feeling sick, state health officials said.

Unvaccinated people exposed to the virus can get the MMR vaccine 72 hours after exposure (but before symptoms are present) to prevent an infection, according to health officials. Immunoglobulin (IG), if administered within six days of exposure, may also be used in some circumstances, they added.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community, the CDPHE spokesperson said.

People who got vaccinated against measles before 1968 should talk to their health care provider about possibly getting a booster as the vaccine used before that year wasn't as effective.

As of Monday, Colorado has reported cases of the virus in Adams, Arapahoe and Broomfield counties. Across the country, the number of confirmed measles infections has already topped 1,000.

The Westminster Public Schools Board of Education is moving forward with its Forward Together Facilities Initiative which includes school relocations, grade restructuring and two school closures through 2030.

District leaders say the goal is to strengthen academic programming and ensure long-term financial stability.

"Our goal is to align facilities and enrollment in a way that strengthens academic programming, preserves student opportunity, and ensures sustainability for years to come," said Superintendent Jeni Gotto.

Westminster's consolidation plan, which will affect 10 schools, is prompting a look at how a neighboring district navigated a similar process years earlier.

For Karina Cuevas, enrolling her two kids at Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy was everything shed hoped for and more.

I have two kids here; kindergarten and second grade. Theyre very happy, she said. I know it's still getting built up because its only been open for a few years, but the community thats been built here is really amazing.

Watch: Denver7's Adria Iraheta talks school closures with parents and officials

The magnet schools brick building was once the home of Wheeling Elementary School one of several schools shut down by Aurora Public Schools in 2021.

Aurora Public Schools closed eight schools in total as part of its "Blueprint APS" plan, which rolled out seven years ago in response to declining enrollment in west Aurora.

All eight schools were repurposed some into magnet schools, others into child development centers or alternative education sites.

When Peoria Elementary closed in 2021, it had just 332 students. The building now houses Charles Burrell Visual and Performing Arts P-8 Magnet School, which currently enrolls 665.

Marianne Sammons, APS strategic development advisor, said the repurposing strategy has kept district enrollment in a good place magnet schools in particular have been instrumental in that change.

"It's helped ensure that we're able to maintain students that may have left otherwise to go to a different district," Sammons said.

In fact, Aurora Public Schools is now working to keep pace with growing enrollment, especially on the east side of the district where the population is booming.

I feel like going more east is one of the more affordable areas for families, especially young families, as far as still trying to have that dream life, said Aurora Highlands P-8 parent Annelicia Tenorio.

Currently, Aurora Highlands P-8 is the only school in the Aurora Highlands, but the district has plans to open several new schools in the community, including a new high school.

Altogether, there are five new schools in the works on the east side of the district.

As districts across the Denver metro continue to grapple with shifting enrollment, Sammons offered a word of caution to other educators in those districts.

"What worked for a school district or part of a school district doesn't necessarily mean that's going to work for your district," Sammons said.

Her advice for districts considering consolidation: involve the community from the start.

"Bring the families in alongside that work. Bring students in," Sammons said.

THORNTON, Colo. People forced to flee a rapidly spreading grass fire in Thornton earlier Wednesday were allowed back home hours after the blaze sent a large plume of black smoke into the air that could be seen from miles away.

The fire near W. 84th Avenue and Huron Street started at around 11:30 a.m. and sent smoke drifting over Interstate 25, forcing state transportation officials to fully shut down the highway between Thornton Parkway and W. 84th Avenue for about two hours.

As it moved east, the blaze then forced city officials to issue mandatory evacuation orders for residents along a green belt between a neighborhood to the north and businesses to the south, according to Thornton Fire Chief Steve Kelley, who said no Code Red alert was sent to people in the area because the city is transitioning into a new alert system.

Instead, he said Pinnacle High School and nearby businesses were immediately evacuated as a precaution as officers went door to door in neighborhoods to the northeast to alert residents of the danger.

The fire, aided by strong winds and burning amid red flag conditions, grew to approximately 10 acres in size before it was contained near a fence line on Elati Street close to residential property that the fire never touched, according to Kelley, who provided an update to news media during a news conference later Wednesday.

"We lost no residential structures as a result of this fire," he said. "We did have damage to some businesses along the south side of the fire" that fire officials are continuing to evaluate, he added. "At this time, it does not appear that there was any damage to the structures."

Though the fire is contained, crews will remain at the scene overnight working on hot spots to make the fire does not rekindle. Road closures in the area were also expected to continue through at least Thursday as suppression and containment operations continue, Kelley said.

It was not immediately clear how many people were impacted by Wednesday's evacuation orders, but a temporary shelter was established for affected residents at the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center, located at 11151 Colorado Blvd.

During Wednesday's news conference, Kelley said it was his agency's understanding that Pinnacle High would resume classes Thursday.

In all, four fighters and one resident were injured as a result of the grass fire. None were considered critical injuries, the fire chief said.

Most of the Front Range, including the area where the fire is burning, is under a red flag warning for wind and low relative humidity. The warning expires at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Kelley said his department had not seen a fire like this in the City of Thornton "in at least six months," and said wind conditions contributed to its rapid growth and influenced the scale of the response.

But he said a key factor in limiting the fire's spread was not just the fire response, but the city's Parks and Recreations department maintenance of the greenbelt along with residents doing their part to make sure no dry fuels grow in their property.

While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, Kelley urged residents to follow burn bans and avoid igniting anything that could create sparks while those bans are in place.

"The Marshall Fire is, I think, on everybody's minds in the metro area, and our intent is not to allow that to happen again," Kelley said, as he talked about the magnitude in response to Wednesday's fire. "Our intent to get ahead of these fires so we don't have the spread of conditions like we experienced during the Marshall Fire. I think we're very fortunate today that we did not have an outcome similar," he added.

An estimated 100150 firefighters from 47 different agencies were involved in battling the blaze, Kelley said, including Thornton police and first responders from Westminster, Adams County, Northglenn, Federal Heights, and the Colorado State Patrol.

The City of Westminster is getting ready to host its first ever city-wide restaurant week. It's an effort to promote and support local businesses through the city's economic development division.

While the announcement is exciting for food lovers, the city is putting a focus on supporting business owners. Right now, Westminster is looking for any interested businesses to sign up online. Before the event happens, the city is offering free information sessions. Those will be held virtually on Wednesday, February 25 at 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The city is looking to include all restaurants and various types of food establishments, anything from delis to coffee shops to taverns and fine dining. Participating locations will receive free digital marketing materials to help support the promotion. The city also plans to post a digital passport for people to view online to explore every option.

Westminster Restaurant Week will run over a 10-day period from April 17-26, 2026. There will be a 5-tier price structure: $15, $25, $35, $45 and $55.

To be included in the marketing of the event, restaurants will need to complete a participation form by Friday, March 6.

You can find more information on the citys website here.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. A man driving erratically in Westminster was recently arrested by police after officers got a whiff of alcohol coming from his car. Little did they know alcohol wasnt the only thing they would find.

The driver was spotted driving recklessly in the area of City Center Drive and 93rd Avenue on Friday, Jan. 23. Once officers stopped the driver, an officer immediately noticed the smell of alcohol, according to a news release from the Westminster Police Department.

The driver, who has not been identified, denied consuming any alcohol and told the officer the smell were from his Zyns. He then agreed to perform roadside maneuvers but refused to complete them after a short time.

Bodycam video from the officer shows law enforcement putting the suspect in handcuffs before asking the man, So you have three kids hiding in the trunk?

Yes, the man replies.

Bodycam video then shows another officer opening the mans trunk, revealing the three kids inside.

You didnt think thatd of [sic] been a good idea to say something before? the arresting officer asks before the video goes to black.

In a news release announcing the arrest, police said temperatures were also freezing outside at the time of the traffic stop.

Luckily, the kids were unharmed. Several bottles of alcohol were also recovered from inside the vehicle, a spokesperson for the police department wrote.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI, reckless driving, failure to provide a valid insurance and three counts of child abuse. He was taken to Adams County Jail, according to police.

Child Protective Services was called to the scene and the kids were released to other family members, a spokesperson for the police department said.

As to why the kids were in the trunk, the department did not provide Denver7 with that information. A request for more details, including an arrest affidavit, was submitted on Wednesday.

Watch the moment Westminster police officers found the three kids inside the trunk in the video player below:

Warning signs are going up in the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge the site of a former nuclear weapons production site warning people of possible radioactive contamination.

The Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center said this move is a direct response to requests from residents in the area. For years, the wildlife refuge has been at the center of heated debates about its safety and if it was properly cleaned before converted to a wildlife refuge.

While signs have been in place for years at the refuge, on Tuesday, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center announced it was adding a new sign this one warning about "potential risks of using trails."

Below is a look at the sign.

It warns that people may be exposed to radioactive materials and encourages hikers, bikers and equestrians to make informed decisions before entering. The City of Westminster said the new signage will also be posted at the bridge over Indiana Street within the coming weeks.

Rocky Flats was shut down in 1989 following an FBI raid and a federal investigation that resulted in Rockwell International, the sites operator at the time, pleading guilty to environmental crimes, including illegal storage of radioactive waste and violations of the Clean Water Act. Although a $7 billion cleanup was completed in 2005, Allred and other activists argue the remediation was insufficient and that dangerous particles including plutonium, americium, uranium, beryllium and radioactive lead still remain in the soil and air.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opened the refuge to the public in 2018. Today, the EPA and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment say that the plutonium contamination in that area does not pose a health threat. But concerns continue to grow for nearby communities.

In June, Denver7 reported that Westminster was considering caution signs.

Around that same time, Westminster, Broomfield and Superior formally withdrew from the Rocky Mountain Greenway trail project, which would connect Rocky Flats to other regional parks. Wheels were set in motion in 2016 to develop the greenway, which would connect a string of trails from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge to the Rocky Flats Mountain Wildlife Refuge to Rocky Mountain National Park.

In the past years, seven school districts have also barred staff from bringing children in their care to field trips at Rocky Flats, according to the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center.

Christopher Allred, with the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, led the campaign for the new warning signs.

After decades of advocacy from the state to the municipal and county levels, we finally will have strong warnings posted around Rocky Flats, he said in a press release. We appreciate these important steps by the Boulder County Commission and Westminster City Council to bring more transparency and public health protections to the region. It is time for other communities bordering Rocky Flats to follow suit.

The controversy around Rocky Flats was on full display at the 19th Colorado Environmental Film Festival, where "Half-life of Memory: Americas Forgotten Atomic Bomb Factory" dove into the history.

Prior coverage:

A fatal auto-pedestrian crash is under investigation Friday morning, according to the Westminster Police Department.

It happened just after 6:30 a.m. Friday in the area of Federal Boulevard and 96th Ave. Westminster police officers got reports of a crash involving two drivers and a pedestrian.

When Westminster police made it to the scene of the crash, they found a 39-year-old man lying in the road. They attempted CPR, but the man was pronounced dead. The Adams County Coroner's Office will release his identity once family is notified.

Westminster police said the preliminary investigation found the pedestrian walked out into traffic and was hit by two drivers.

Both drivers stayed at the scene of the crash and are cooperating with the investigation, Westminster police said. Neither alcohol or drugs appear to be a factor in the crash.

Southbound Federal Boulevard shut down between 96th Ave. and Green Court. Morning commuters were advised to find alternative routes.

Traffic was diverted to the west, according to Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber. Lowell Boulevard is a good way to get around it, Luber said. Drivers could also go a little bit east to Elm Street to get around the shutdown.

Southbound Federal Boulevard between 96th Ave. and Green Court reopened around 9:51 a.m. Friday, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

The crash investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Westminster Police Department at 303-658-4360.

The Westminster police and fire departments are investigating the cause of a house fire that killed two people and injured another early Tuesday morning.

The first 911 calls started coming in shortly after midnight Tuesday, according to the Westminster Fire Administration public information officer.

When firefighters arrived at a neighborhood off W. 72nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard, they found a home on Marshall Court engulfed in flames.

Two people were found dead inside, and another person was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries.

One neighbor in the same cul-de-sac as the home that caught fire reported waking up to someone screaming for help.

Denver7 also spoke to one neighbor who lives down the street and saw flames from her front porch.

"I've never seen that many fire trucks anywhere, and saw flames from what I thought was the house just right across, but it's the [home] in the cul-de-sac. Saw these flames shooting out over a roof, the highest peak of the roof," said Janine Cavalier, who lives nearby.

Investigators have not released any information about who was inside the home at the time of the fire, and the current condition of the survivor who was transported to the hospital remains unknown.

Denver7 will share any updates as new information is available.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. A Westminster police officer attempting to contact the driver of a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot received minor injuries after they were dragged by the car when the driver attempted to leave the scene.

The incident happened around 5 p.m. Tuesday in a parking lot near 88th Avenue and Pierce Street.

After the driver attempted to leave, police later stopped the vehicle on 92nd Avenue and two suspects who had multiple warrants were taken into custody, said Westminster police.

The officer who was dragged a short distance is okay.

Editor's note on Dec. 23 at 11:35 a.m.:

WESTMINSTER, Colo. Police in Westminster are asking for the publics help to find a missing 13-year-old girl who has not been seen since last week.

The girl was last seen leaving her house near the intersections of Huron Street and W. 121st Avenue on Dec. 18 around 8 a.m.

She is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs approximately 100 pounds. She has brown hair and eyes and may be wearing red and black shoes.

The girl does not have a cell phone and there are concerns for her well-being, according to police.

If you see the girl or have any information on her whereabouts, please call 911 or the Westminster Police Department at 303-658-4360.

A suspect was arrested in connection with a series of drive-by shootings targeting car dealerships, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.

Matthew Schwettman, 38, was arrested on seven counts of illegal discharging a firearm and one count of criminal mischief.

Schwettman allegedly drove by multiple businesses, firing multiple gunshots out his car window, striking dealership buildings, between November 7 and December 15.

"Regardless of whether the buildings were occupied, randomly firing into businesses is a recipe for tragedy," Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said investigators used Flock cameras and surveillance video from the dealerships that reportedly hit to track the suspect's vehicle and determine a license plate.

From there, investigators identified Schwettman as a suspect and obtained a search warrant. He was taken into custody on Monday, multiple firearms were recovered and a vehicle was impounded, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators are still working to determine if Schwettman could be connected to additional drive-by shootings.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. A person is dead and another one is injured following a fire at an apartment complex in Westminster Tuesday afternoon.

The fire at the complex, located near 80th Avenue and Wolff Street, was reported just before 4 p.m.

Fire officials said two residents from the complex were taken to a hospital for treatment, but one of them succumbed to their injuries. The other sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Three Westminster police officers were evaluated on scene for smoke inhalation and two other residents at the complex were displaced by the fire. They are receiving assistance from the Red Cross, according to a news release.

The Adams County Coroners Office will release the identity of the victim of the deceased one family has been notified.

The fire is currently under investigation.

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. The man accused of killing a woman and bringing her body around Adams County in a trash can has been formally charged with murder and tampering with a deceased human body, according to an arrest affidavit and the 17th Judicial District Attorneys Office.

The district attorney's office announced on Wednesday afternoon that Thomas Lee Perales, 38, now faces charges of first-degree murder, violation of a protection order (two counts), tampering with a deceased human body and domestic violence (habitual offender).

According to an affidavit for Perales' arrest, all of these charges are connected with domestic violence.

The affidavit, which Denver7 obtained on Wednesday morning, reads that he had been in a relationship with the victim, Annette Valdez, 37. Officials and family members told Denver7 they were not legally married.

Perales was arrested on Dec. 5 shortly after 11 a.m. in Thornton.

The 10-page affidavit reads that the Westminster Police Department first received a 911 call on Dec. 4 around 3:30 p.m. to report a deceased body in a trash can near the creek along the 12400 block of N. Delaware Street in Westminster. The reporting party identified the body as possibly being Annette Valdez, 37.

Police were able to connect this discovery back to a missing persons report from a few days before. On Dec. 1, Valdez's father and one other person whose identity was redacted in the document reported that Valdez had not been seen or heard from since Nov. 28 around 6 p.m., the affidavit reads. A family member had spoken with Valdez over the phone and reported hearing a male yelling in the background and Valdez repeatedly saying, "she was scared," according to the document. The family member said based on prior incidents, they believed the male voice was Perales.

The officer who took the missing persons report found multiple recent domestic violence-related cases between Perales and Valdez.

The family member said after that phone call on Nov. 28, Valdez did not respond to texts and her phone no longer shared her location, according to the affidavit. Family found her keys on the ground outside her front door and nobody inside her apartment. Her shoes were all inside the residence and her phone was on a bed. The family also reported that Valdez had not shown up to work since Nov. 28, which was uncharacteristic, according to the affidavit.

At 2:40 p.m. that day Dec. 1 Valdez was officially listed as a missing adult.

Since family members had mentioned Perales' name, Westminster police began trying to contact him. One phone number he was associated with had been disconnected, another one failed to connect and a third rang but did not have voicemail set up, the document reads.

During the investigation, police began to uncover evidence, including video of Perales removing the Ring Video Doorbell mounted outside of Valdez's apartment on Nov. 25 he later told police he removed it to move it inside the residence and possible blood on the staircase leading to Valdez's apartment, the affidavit reads.

On Dec. 4, a Thornton police officer was dispatched for a well-being check in connection with the search for Valdez. An unhoused person reported seeing her body in a duffel bag or blanket near the Holiday Inn along Grant Street. Police spoke with other unhoused individuals in the area, who reported knowing that Valdez was missing and that Perales had been staying "all over the place," according to the affidavit. One person mentioned that their acquaintance had seen a body wrapped in a maroon blanket near the hotel.

One of the individuals, in an interview with police, said Perales had approached him for help after falling in the creek. As they walked back to an area with trees, the man said he saw a tightly wrapped maroon quilt.

"Curious, he partially opened and saw what he believed to be a human female face. He said that Perales yelled at him and told him the body 'belonged to him,'" the affidavit reads.

That person brought police to the area where he had seen the body. They found a maroon jacket at the scene, however it was too small to conceal a body. The jacket, as well as a T-shirt, were placed in a bag as evidence, the affidavit reads.

That same day, Dec. 4, Westminster police were dispatched to the 12400 block of W. Delaware Drive near Willowbrook Park on a report of a possible deceased person. The person who reported the body later told police that she and some friends had been searching for Valdez and Perales, and that Perales had told her "he had left Annette's body at that location," the affidavit reads. Perales also told her that he planned his "suicide by cop," the affidavit reads.

When police initially arrived at the scene, they were led about 120 yards along the Tanglewood Trail system into a wooded area, where they saw a green tarp forming a lean-to, a blue bicycle and a blue trash can partially covered by blankets. Police lifted the top layer of blankets and found a body inside. They then began to secure the scene, according to the affidavit.

The body was identified as Valdez on Dec. 5, following an autopsy. The coroner determined she had sustained trauma to her neck, but was not able to determine the extent of her injuries due to decomposition.

The same day as the autopsy, police found Perales near W. 120th Avenue and I-25. Following a brief pursuit, they took him into custody and he agreed to speak with police about the case, the affidavit reads.

Perales told police he went to Valdez's home on the evening of Nov. 27 and that they fell asleep. He said when he woke up the next day, Valdez was "black and blue," and he was "scared and did not know what had happened," the affidavit said. He said he tried CPR and administered Narcan, but realized Valdez was deceased.

He explained to police that he brought a trash can from a nearby Safeway store to the residence, wrapped the body in a blanket, and used the trash can to remove her body from the apartment. He said he didn't call police because he thought he would be blamed for her death.

Police asked Perales for more details, but he said he had "blacked out" that evening, according to the affidavit.

"He said he has experienced blackouts in the past and acts in a violent manner toward himself and makes bad decisions," the affidavit reads. "He also admitted that during an argument with Annette that night, he placed his hand over her mouth. He stated he removed his hand but then placed it back over her mouth a couple of additional times during the argument."

He claimed that during the argument, Valdez had punched him. He also said he called Valdez's sister, who told him to put Valdez in a headlock to calm her down. Perales said he did this until she stopped yelling. Then, they reconciled, he told police. He told police that Valdez would sometimes open the front door and yell for help during their arguments, the affidavit reads.

"Thomas also stated that Annette had died due to the argument they had been involved in," the document continues.

Perales was then booked into jail. During the fingerprinting process, he told the officer "You know I killed (my) wife and paraded her around?" the affidavit reads.

The district attorney's office said it believes Valdez had died between Nov. 28 and Dec. 4.

Perales is due in court on Wednesday.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. Authorities are working to piece together why a pedestrian ran straight into traffic before being fatally struck by a truck in Westminster Friday afternoon.

The initial investigation revealed that just before 5:30 p.m., a city of Westminster employee was traveling north on Sheridan Boulevard in a city-owned Ford F250 when he struck a pedestrian near the intersection with 94th Avenue.

The pedestrian was declared dead at the scene.

Witnesses who spoke to investigators from the Colorado State Patrol and the Westminster Police Department reported the pedestrian ran into traffic before the crash.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Colorado State Patrol.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. Westminster police have taken a suspect into custody after finding a 37-year-old woman deceased near Willowbrook Park on Thursday.

The Westminster Police Department said the suspect, Thomas Perales, 38, could face charges of second-degree murder charge, abuse of a corpse, violation of a protection order (domestic violence) and tampering with physical evidence. The district attorney's office will determine formal charges.

The police department first alerted the public about a suspicious death near Willowbrook Park around 6:15 p.m. on Thursday.

During the initial investigation, Mountain Range High School and Silver Hills Middle School were placed on "secure status," meaning exterior doors were locked and students had to stay inside, police said.

About two hours later, the police department provided more information, saying its officers had responded to the scene around 3:30 p.m. after receiving reports of a deceased person near W. 124th Avenue and Delaware Drive. The Adams County Coroners Office also responded.

At noon on Friday, the department said the deceased had been identified as a 37-year-old woman. Official identification will come from the coroner after next of kin is notified, they said.

The official cause of death remains "unknown" and "under investigation," police said.

At 4 p.m., police provided another update: They are now investigating this case as a homicide and had taken a suspect into custody. That person has been identified as Perales.

He was taken into custody near 120th Avenue and Interstate 25 on charges of second-degree murder charge, abuse of a corpse, violation of a protection order (domestic violence) and tampering with physical evidence, police said.

Based on the preliminary investigation, police said they believe that the deceased and Perales knew each other.

The Adams County District Attorneys Office will determine formal charges against him.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. A second annual pet food drive in Westminster has collected more than 4,600 pounds of donated pet food for animals in need.

The Westy Dog Park Guardians a group dedicated to preserving off-leash access, open space and responsible dog ownership announced on Thursday that its second annual Paws-Giving Drive had gathered 4,610 pounds of pet food.

In addition, the drive collected blankets, towels, beds, toys, treats, collars and leashes.

All of the items and food will be distributed to Foothills Animal Shelter, Riverdale Animal Shelter, Westminster FISH Food Bank, Broomfield FISH, and Arvada Community Table.

"The Westy Dog Park Guardians would like to extend a big thank you to the Westminster Hills Dog Park Community for their donations, and to the volunteers and the Standley Lake rangers for their help," the group wrote in a press release. "And thanks, too, to Mountain States Toyota for donating a Truck-Load of Pet Food, and to PetCo, PetSmart, G's Taco's and Front Range Gardens for their support."

Westy Dog Park Guardians was established in 2024. To learn more about the group, click here.

Front Range Gardens will continue to accept donations until Dec. 15. It is located at 10195 Old Wadsworth Boulevard in Broomfield.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. After a career in the financial technology (fintech) industry, Brittany Naylor was feeling burnt out.

Through the volatility of the pandemic, a lot of jobs, especially in the tech sector, really, really struggled, she explained. You know, there were mass hirings and then mass layoffs. And I've been involved in a lot of that.

She described a seemingly never-ending cycle of job interviews last fall, and says it even affected her physical health.

It just felt like, I cannot do this anymore, like this is literally gonna kill me, she told Denver7.

So Naylor decided to pivot and turn her passion project into a small business. She opened Makeshift Crafts in Westminster in May, telling Denver7 its been a dream of hers since she was 17.

Its more than just a craft store. Naylor calls it a safe haven for the community to gather together to spend time working on crafts. It hosts events like movie nights and frequent non-perfectionist workshops.

Art and creativity can really support mental health, Naylor said. Its really cool just to see the worries and the stress melt away off people's faces as they're sitting here.

A woman attending a workshop, Philadelphia Morgan, expressed her appreciation for the environment inside the store.

This summer, there was an opportunity for a summer camp, she explained. And my younger daughter has autism, so summer camps can be challenging sometimes with people who don't really understand diversity. And both girls came, and it was like their favorite summer camp ever. We live half an hour away, so it was like a trek every day. But they love coming here.

Naylor says she has to find ways to make her staff members available to customers when they are in the store to help curate the friendly atmosphere.

One way Naylor does that is by using technology and artificial intelligence to take care of some of the work behind the scenes.

There's no doubt in my mind that's what we need to do to help us scale the business and not lose our minds, she said with a laugh.

Naylor says she and her staff frequently use tools such as Shopify and Trello to analyze sales data, deliver personalized email campaigns, organize workshops and more.

Other businesses would have a whole data analyst dedicated to telling me that information, Naylor said after asking AI for sales data for a product and receiving it seconds later. Or, I could run a report and try to figure that out myself, it would probably take me, personally, like days,

Naylor estimates the roughly 15 tools combined cost around $500 a month, but save the staff countless hours of work and save the business thousands of dollars in payroll.

I need good people here in the store with my customers, Naylor explained. And I don't need to just pay people for the sake of paying people to get stuff done the right way, or to just not do it, which is a lot of the small business mentality I want that experience to be really, really good for everyone, whether this is your 50th time in or your first time in.

Naylor is not alone.

A survey from the National Federation of Independent Business from earlier this year found nearly 25% of small business owners are using AI for business.

The U.S. Small Business Administration also shared some of the potential benefits and risks of AI for small businesses.

The ability, particularly for a small business owner, for [AI] to uncover trends that maybe we hadn't thought of, is a really, really valuable asset, Metropolitan State University professor and AI expert Sam Jay told Denver7. The machine is better at recognizing that trend, because it can take this 30,000 foot view of all of that data and provide that insight. Maybe you're a little bit too close to it and it's hard to see.

Jay also says generative AI now provides the ability to distill something like data in an Excel spreadsheet and explain it in a conversational way.

Previously, I would have had to understand zeros and ones and code and all these stuff, all these things to get an application to do the thing that I'm talking about, he explained. Now, all I have to do is use human language It will right spit out, ideally, the instructions that I would follow to build an app, to take a product to market, [to answer] What are my blind spots?

Jay predicts more and more small business owners will continue to adopt the technology to help their business grow or even to start one entirely.

Denver7 asked Naylor if she is worried about being overly reliant on the AI tools to take care of work, in case they fail or for some reason are no longer an option in the future.

So far, we haven't been burned by tech, she replied. Im not really worried about it, because at the end of the day, I know that my business isn't based on technology. It's based on people, people and community and the connections that we're building here with that.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. The Westminster Police Department is investigating a single-vehicle crash that killed a pedestrian Saturday evening.

It happened just before 6 p.m. near the intersection of Sheridan Boulevard and W. 115th Avenue.

Police said a man was attempting to cross the road outside the crosswalk when he was struck and killed by a passing vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle remained on scene and is cooperating with investigators, the department said.

The man was pronounced deceased on scene.

The Jefferson County Coroners Office will release his identity once the next of kin is notified.

Police said more information will be released when available.

For over a decade, Shelley Long has witnessed the transformative power of community it has helped countless Arvada residents in need get back on their feet.

Long is the pastor and director of REACH at Grace Church Arvada which helps community members transitioning to stable housing with support, resources, and a shoulder to lean on.

Just getting to be with the people on the weekends, somebody who knows their name, said Long, That next step of somebody being there to encourage them, to chat with them every day. How's it going to walk through the discouragement and to celebrate the wins? That's huge."

But the latest numbers from Jefferson County highlight the magnitude of the task ahead for nonprofits like REACH.

Homelessness in Jefferson County increased 27% in the last year, with one in two individuals experiencing homelessness for the first time the largest jump in the metro area, according to county leaders.

This increase comes as the county faces reduced cold-weather shelter availability.

Over the past couple seasons of cold weather, there were options available for sheltering that we knew were not going to be available this season, said Jefferson County Regional Homeless Coordinator Kerry Wrenick.

Finding ways to keep the unhoused population safe during the cold-weather months became a priority for county leaders throughout the year.

If we serve somebody in Lakewood, it doesn't mean they're not going to go to Arvada that evening. We're all serving the same population and so pooling everything together seems like the most reasonable response to that, proportionally, said Wrenick.

Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, and Jefferson County recently signed a one-year intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to collaborate on cold weather shelter services this winter. Together, they have pooled just over $2 million for emergency sheltering.

The funding will pay for motel vouchers, to be distributed by homeless navigators 72 hours before severe weather hits. If temperatures drop into the single digits or lower, they'll also deploy extreme-weather mobile shelters through different parts of the county.

While the regional winter shelter response addresses immediate needs, county leaders acknowledged the need for long-term solutions.

"We need a solution to the winter season right now, but we have to have a tangent solution long-term for addressing homelessness as a region, and so I continue to work with our city and county managers on what that longer-term solution looks like," Wrenick said.

Long praised the collaborative effort among local governments.

After all, it's just another piece of the puzzle as they work together to lessen homelessness in the county.

"I think the city and county are really trying to put their finger on all of the resources that we have here in our area that can work together," Long said. "I'm so glad that they keep working at this. This next step for severe weather, I'm glad that they're figuring that out."

A shooting Tuesday night killed one person at a motel off 120th Ave. and Melody Drive, according to the Westminster Police Department.

Just after 10 p.m. Tuesday, Westminster police said officers got reports of a disturbance involving weapons. When they arrived, officers found a man who had been shot. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died from his injuries. The Adams County Coroner's Office will release his identity once his family is notified and an official cause of death is determined.

Two men were involved in a fight that led to the shooting, according to the initial Westminster police investigation.

Officers took another man into custody, but during questioning, investigators learned information that prompted them to release the suspect after consulting with the district attorney's office. They are not searching for any other suspects and did not provide any further details about the incident.

"These types of investigations are often sensitive and more complex than they may appear," Westminster police said.

A car theft suspect remains on the run after causing a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 76 in Westminster earlier in the day, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said Friday.

The multi-vehicle crash was reported by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) at around just before 11:30 a.m. on I-76 near Berkley, and shut down the southbound lanes of Sheridan Boulevard for a while as deputies combed the scene.

Initially, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office reported the suspect was leading deputies on a chase when the multi-vehicle crash occurred, but a spokesperson with Arvada police said there was no active pursuit by law enforcement to begin with.

"The vehicle was driving recklessly at Arvada High School and then eluded police east on W. 64th Ave. at 10:47 [a.m.]," said APD detective Dave Snelling. "It appears that the vehicle crashed at 11:00 [a.m.] at I-76 and Sheridan Blvd."

The suspect, who remains unidentified, escaped from the scene on foot.

Deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said the search was ongoing.

If you live, work, or take the bus on Federal Boulevard, youll soon see big changes designed to make your daily trip safer and quicker.

The Colorado Department of Transportation has initiated an environmental review and design work for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system along an 18-mile stretch of Federal Boulevard, from Westminster to south Denver.

Federal Boulevard is one of the busiest transit corridors in the Denver metro area. There is a lot of congestion, both with vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, said Tamara Rollison with CDOT.

CDOT says delays for bus riders on Federal can be as long as 90 minutes round-trip. The agency also reports that the corridor experiences a disproportionate number of pedestrian crashes.

BRT will add a dedicated curbside lane for buses, except between 20th and 50th avenues, where BRT buses would share lanes with other vehicles. Drivers would still use the curbside lane to enter and exit driveways and turn right at intersections.

The BRT will also introduce bus stations instead of stops to improve safety and shorten travel times.

There's level boarding and multiple doors, so passengers can get in and leave the bus quicker. The buses will run more efficiently, Rollison said.

A similar construction project is underway for East Colfax BRT. Dedicated bus lanes will run down the street center in parts of the project.

Denver7 has heard from struggling businesses on East Colfax who have seen customer traffic dry up due to BRT construction, which began in October 2024 and will finish in 2027.

Asked if CDOT learned from that project to help Federal businesses, Rollison said they are still years from starting construction.

We certainly will do everything that we possibly can to mitigate the impacts of construction, and we will work very closely with the residents, with the businesses, with everyone along that corridor to get their input, Rollison said.

Between now and 2027, CDOT will finalize the design for the Federal Boulevard BRT system.

Construction, testing, and commissioning will take place between 2027 and 2029.

CDOT is aiming to start Federal BRT service in 2030.

There is another opportunity to have your voice heard at an open house event CDOT is hosting Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Westwood Community Center, located at 1000 S. Lowell Boulevard.

The monarch butterfly, famed for its bright orange and black wings and a migration that can span up to 3,000 miles, is facing serious decline. Conservationists say solutions to save the monarch butterfly population range from planting a single backyard milkweed to reforesting parts of Mexico.

Monarchs are iconic butterflies, not just because of their spectacular coloration, but also because they complete one of the greatest migrations in the animal kingdom, Shiran Herschcovich, a lepidopterist at Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, said. Theyre going to shelter in the same forest that their great-grandparents were in without ever having been there before.

But those journeys are in peril. Herschcovich said migratory monarch populations have declined by more than 80% in recent decades.

Its a really tough time to be an insect right now, Herschcovich said.

Conservation efforts are occurring at many scales. Butterfly Pavilion has partnered with the Mexican government to restore the oyamel fir forests that provide exclusive winter habitat for eastern migratory monarchs.

We have just finished planting 100,000 new oyamel fir trees in a forest that has lost most of its range over the last few decades, Herschcovich said. This helps ensure monarchs have a forest to return to, not just tomorrow, but for generations to come.

Closer to home, habitat creation in suburbs and yards is a practical way to support the migrating insects. Director of Forward Planning for Taylor Morrison of Colorado Matthew Valente said the home-building company and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) have teamed up to create certified monarch gardens.

Creating these gardens is a way to incorporate a little bit of nature into the suburban landscape, Valente said.

Taylor Morrison has established 130 certified monarch gardens nationwide, including five in Colorado and many more are on the way along their migratory path.

The gardens emphasize native plants, especially milkweed the sole host plant for monarch caterpillars along with shelter and water.

One of the biggest impacts that weve madeare milkweed plantings, Valente said. You dont need a huge space to make a big impact for pollinators. It can be a small patch in your backyard.

Senior Director of Habitat Planning and Design for NWF Sarah Williams said the organizations monarch certification requires food, water and shelter for the butterflies, plus sustainable practices such as avoiding pesticides.

The number one thing is planting native milkweed, Williams said. You cant save the polar bear in your backyard, but you can save the monarch butterfly in your backyard.

At Butterfly Pavilions Wings of the Tropics conservatory, about 2,000 free-flying butterflies from tropical regions are on display year-round. Staff stage a Monarch Magic event each November when hundreds of monarchs are featured inside the tropical house. Herschcovich said the pavilions work from education to international reforestation partnerships is aimed at reversing the steep declines affecting invertebrates.

There is so much work to be done, Herschcovich said. Invertebrates make up 97% of the animal species that we know today, and most of them are in steep decline. I feel hopeful that we will be able to build that safer tomorrow for invertebrates as a whole.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. For the past five years, the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office has been searching for a way to bring resources and support to domestic violence survivors and their families under one roof.

Finally, the office has found a temporary home for its Family Justice Center inside a suite of offices at the Adams County Human Services Center in Westminster a space officials believe has the power to save lives.

This is an important milestone. We've got a lot more work to do, but this, today's milestone, is worthy of celebration," said 17th Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason, who represents both Adams and Broomfield counties. The need to serve victims of domestic violence exists now. It existed yesterday. It existed five years ago. And so, we wanted to find, first, a place where we could open a Family Justice Center as soon as possible in a temporary location.

Mason announced the update to a room filled with people, many wearing small purple ribbons as a sign of domestic violence awareness.

Mason said when he first became district attorney, he started the Special Victims Unit, which focuses exclusively on domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking cases. Next, he created the Domestic Violence High-Risk Team, which reviews reports from law enforcement about domestic violence and searches for what contributed to cases becoming deadly.

The Domestic Violence High-Risk Team is already a success story in this community. And back in 2021 and 2022, we sought a grant through our federal government," Mason told the crowd. We succeeded, for the first time, in getting what, for us, was a historic grant of $2 million to fund the Domestic Violence High-Risk Team and to serve victims of domestic violence here in the 17th Judicial District.

Mason said he felt more had to be done.

The most dangerous time in the life of a victim of domestic violence is when she is trying to get out that's when the most domestic violence homicides occur. And yet, right now, we put up countless barriers to victims and survivors of domestic violence for them to get the services that they need," Mason said. A hypothetical victim of domestic violence in Commerce City has to travel 300 miles to get the services that she needs. That alone is an enormous barrier for victims of domestic violence to get help, and it doesn't include the hours that they have to spend at all the places that they go.

Child care, housing assistance, legal services, counseling, and safety planning are all examples of the needs someone trapped in the cycle of domestic violence may want to access. That's where the Family Justice Center steps in to help, according to Mason.

"Every single jurisdiction with a Family Justice Center has seen their domestic violence homicides go down, and there actually aren't that many of them," Mason said. "There are about 150 nationwide, and in a country of 300 million people, that's not a lot."

According to Mason, this Family Justice Center would be the third in Colorado. There are similar facilities at the Rose Andom Center in Denver and PorchLight in Lakewood.

Roughly two years ago, Mason said several stakeholders and those who have worked on other Family Justice Centers gathered for a listening session to evaluate the needs of the community. Five months later, a strategic plan was developed with two parts: the first, a temporary space for the center, and the second, a permanent home for the Family Justice Center.

For the last nine months, more than nine months, we've been searching for a space where we can open up a Family Justice Center right away, albeit temporarily, but a place where we can actually start providing services under one roof to victims and survivors of families of domestic violence. And we have found that space thanks to the generosity of the Adams County commissioners and Adams County government. They have donated to this project, to our Family Justice Center Project," Mason said. Since that generous donation I'm going to call it a donation we've been working for several months on a design, because the suite of offices that they have graciously given us wasn't being used for this purpose. And so, we've been working on a design, and we've had multiple stakeholders involved in that process."

Denver7 asked Mason why it has taken five years for the temporary space to be identified.

"It's a pretty big project to address domestic violence in a thorough and comprehensive manner, and this community has had a need for a facility like a Family Justice Center for a long time," Mason said. "We're now in a place where we can deliver on that."

Mason said the Family Justice Center can reside within the Human Services Center for three to five years, according to the agreement with Adams County. The goal is to open the Family Justice Center to the public next year, likely by late summer or early fall.

"I think we are going to outgrow this space very, very quickly. It's a wonderful space, but it's small, and we have thousands of victims of domestic violence every single year. So when we outgrow it, we will need a bigger space," Mason said. The need exists right now, so we didn't want to wait for the process of planning and designing and building a brick and mortar building from scratch to open. And that's why we're going to open in this space first, with the long-term goal of having a permanent brick and mortar building.

The space will undergo design changes and reconstruction thanks to funding from Adams County, Mason said.

This room here right now is a conference room, but this will be redesigned and reconfigured and refurnished as a welcoming, safe place for children of domestic violence," Mason said, pointing to the room.

A report released last week by the Colorado Attorney Generals Office showed a 24% increase in domestic violence deaths in 2024 compared to 2023.

While the report found that domestic violence-related fatalities are more common in rural counties, it determined Broomfield County had the highest number of domestic violence deaths per 100,000 residents when it comes to urban counties. Adams County was in the middle of the list of urban counties when looking at the same metric.

In 2024, all eight collateral victims of domestic violence were children, ranging in age from three months to seven years old. The report also found the risk to children has "significantly increased over the years."

"One of my first memories as a child is witnessing domestic violence where my dad was abusing my mom," said Adams County Commissioner Emma Pinter, who attended the announcement about the Family Justice Center. "It is one of the first things I remember happening in our household, and it led to a lot of instability, and then ultimately, our family broke up. And my mom and her two children, me and my sister, experienced homelessness.

Pinter said she personally experienced a lack of resources.

We did not have access to anything like a Family Justice Center," Pinter explained. "We didn't have access to extra food, counseling, doctors' visits, attorneys, none of that. My mom was completely on her own."

A Family Justice Center would have been pivotal, Pinter said, to ensure her mother knew she was not alone in her journey.

To have somebody help her navigate that, so she wasn't alone, would have been transformative for our family, and possibly could have given us some of the stability that we never had," said Pinter.

Pinter believes her story is one of many that prove a Family Justice Center can be a solution to an incredibly complex problem.

All of those worries that parents carry, or individuals carry, when they're leaving a violent situation can be addressed in one location," said Pinter. "This is going to take a community effort to make sure that we continue to have funding at a time when the federal government is shutting down and funding is scarce. It'll be a community effort, but this will save lives."

According to Mason, future funding will come from "as many sources as possible." He explained the Family Justice Center will be funded by both public and government dollars, adding that the 17th Judicial District will have to search for funding sources.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available through Violence Free Colorado or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.

More than two dozen law enforcement agencies executed nine search warrants early Wednesday across the Front Range, leading to five arrests and the dismantlement of an alleged organized crime ring, according to Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty.

Law enforcement officers, led by the Boulder County District Attorneys Office, targeted locations in Boulder and Adams counties, as well as the cities of Denver, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Federal Heights, Johnstown, and Commerce City.

Dougherty said the group was responsible for 26 burglaries, 15 vehicle thefts, and other offenses across Colorado.

The following five people were arrested during Wednesday's operation:

One person, Kimberly Salas, 30, remains at large.

According to a press release, the operation is part of a grand jury investigation that began last year, and the crime ring allegedly stole vehicles, re-titled them using fake documents, and registered them under "MMZ International LLC."

Dougherty said the cars stolen by the suspects were used in garage burglaries and vehicle trespasses. He said the suspects often targeted high-end bicycles and trafficked them to Mexico for resale. They allegedly used bear spray for protection.

"They were breaking into cars and then using stolen cars to commit other crimes. And in some of these cars, they found garage door openers, and they would use those garage door openers to then break into people's garages," Dougherty said during a press conference Wednesday.

The Boulder County DA said the group also possessed distribution-level quantities of methamphetamine and illegal firearms.

Prior attempts to apprehend suspects led to high-speed chases, according to the release.

Four of the suspects face Colorado's Organized Crime Control Act charges, which carry a maximum of 24 years in prison. Two others face lesser charges.

The Boulder County Sheriff's Office said there may be more suspects or victims involved in the crime ring, and urges anyone with information to report it.

A man living at one of the properties searched by authorities Wednesday morning was still shaken up several hours later and reached out to Denver7 to share his experience.

Patrick Oullette, who lives in Adams County, said he used to rent a home on his property to Adrian Martinez until about 18 months ago.

Oullette and his current renter told Denver7 that mail for Martinez is still occasionally delivered to the property. Oullette said he would not have rented to Martinez if he knew he was allegedly involved in a crime ring.

"Kind of surprised me because I always thought he was too lazy to do anything," Oullette told Denver7 Wednesday.

Oullette also expressed concern with how the search was conducted, and that he is upset with the property damage authorities left behind, including a broken truck window and a damaged door. He also took issue with his renter, a young mother, being handcuffed in front of her young son. The renter told Denver7 her son was also still shaken from the experience.

"It took me an hour and a half to get 'em to give me a search warrant," Oullette said. "Im 100% all for law enforcement, but this was horribly mishandled."