EVERGREEN — The Evergreen community is rallying around a local restaurant owner more than two weeks after a shooting inside a shopping center left businesses damaged and residents shaken.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said a gunman fired 19 rounds inside a primary care office on Ellingwood Trail before taking his own life on Feb. 12. Deputies said the shooter, a 62-year-old former patient at the facility, fired into equipment, computers, doors and walls. No one else was hurt.
Ryan Win, the owner of Sushi Win, said he heard the gunfire from inside his business just a few doors down from the medical office.
"At first, I heard a loud bang, and then a few moments later, a couple more bangs," Win said. "I peeked my head out the front door just to investigate to see what's going on. And I see glass all over the ground. When I saw a spent shotgun shell on the ground, that's when I knew this is the real deal; I got to do something."
He said as law enforcement responded, deputies had to break through windows and doors of other shops to make sure there were no other suspects in the building.
"When they responded, they were doing their jobs. They were making sure that everyone's safe," Win said. "During the heat of the moment, it makes sense, but the aftermath took a great toll."
WATCH: Denver7's Maggie Bryan talks with Evergreen restaurant owner Ryan Win in aftermath of nearby shooting
He said the building manager expects to make repairs this month. In the meantime, Win said he made the decision to keep his family business closed to minimize trauma to a community that's been through a lot in recent months. The shopping center shooting came five months after a student at Evergreen High School opened fire on his classmates, injuring two students before taking his own life.
"Of course, I could open right away and have you know, revenue flow, but I wanted to give Evergreen the respect that it deserves," he said. "Seeing and knowing what the community has been through, I can't just be selfish and think about myself."
Win said he lost out on around $15,000 in restaurant revenue during Valentine's Day week, and expects that to climb to more than $30,000 until repairs are finished in March. Despite the hardship, the Evergreen community has rallied around Win, raising nearly $14,000 to help cover his rent and lost revenue while the restaurant remains closed.
"This community is family. It feels like family to me," Win said.
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