This is not normal for our community. We cannot lose sight of the victims.
On a Monday evening in late December, a single gunman moved through the Denver metropolitan area leaving a trail of violence that would claim five lives before nightfall, including his own. What began in Denver's streets at dusk spread westward to Lakewood within the hour, drawing law enforcement into a running confrontation through a shopping district and ending in a final exchange of gunfire. In the words of Denver's police chief, spoken with visible weight during the holiday season, the community could not afford to lose sight of its victims — a reminder that behind every statistic lies an ordinary evening shattered beyond recognition.
- A single suspect launched four separate shootings across Denver around 5 p.m., killing three and wounding another before authorities could locate him.
- The violence jumped city lines within an hour, with Lakewood officers responding to an active shooter call only to have the suspect open fire on them directly.
- A chaotic foot pursuit through the Belmar shopping district saw the suspect threaten bystanders, shoot a hotel clerk, and wound a police officer who required emergency surgery.
- The spree ended when the suspect was killed in a final exchange of gunfire with Lakewood officers, though investigators could not immediately confirm whether police bullets or another source delivered the fatal shot.
- By nightfall, five were dead and at least two others wounded across two cities, with authorities still working to determine whether any additional incidents were connected to the rampage.
On a Monday evening in late December, gunfire moved across the Denver metropolitan area in a swift and escalating sequence that would leave five people dead by nightfall.
It began around 5 p.m. in Denver, where a single suspect carried out four shootings across the city, killing three people and wounding one more. Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen addressed reporters with visible gravity, noting the painful timing. "This is the holiday season," he said. "To have this type of spree take place is not normal for our community."
Within an hour, the violence had crossed into Lakewood. Officers responding to an active shooter call at a business on Kipling Street found one person already dead. When they attempted to locate the suspect using a vehicle description, he opened fire on them and fled on foot into the Belmar shopping district. There, he threatened people inside a business, shot a hotel clerk, and then wounded a Lakewood police officer — who was taken into surgery that same evening.
The final confrontation came when the suspect exchanged gunfire with Lakewood officers and was killed. Authorities said it remained unclear whether the fatal shot came from police or another source, and the investigation into the full sequence of events was ongoing.
Across both cities, the toll stood at five dead — including the suspected shooter — and at least two others wounded. Police believed a single gunman was responsible for all the incidents, and were working to determine whether any additional events might be connected to the spree.
On a Monday evening in late December, gunfire erupted across the Denver metropolitan area in a series of violent incidents that would leave five people dead by nightfall, including the person believed responsible for the attacks.
The violence began around 5 p.m. in Denver itself, where police say a single suspect carried out four separate shootings across the city. Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen described the incidents as "a series of violent incidences" that killed three people and wounded another. Pazen addressed reporters with visible gravity about the timing and nature of what had unfolded. "This is the holiday season," he said. "To have this type of spree take place is not normal for our community. We cannot lose sight of the victims."
Within an hour, the violence had spread westward to Lakewood. Police there received word of an active shooter at a business on Kipling Street shortly before 6 p.m. When officers arrived, they found one person already dead at the scene. Using a description of the suspect and information about the vehicle involved, Lakewood police quickly identified who they were looking for. When they attempted to make contact, the suspect opened fire on the officers, who returned fire. The suspect then fled on foot into the nearby Belmar shopping district.
What followed was a chaotic sequence of escalating violence. The suspect entered another business in the area and threatened people inside before retreating behind a Hyatt Place hotel. There, a hotel clerk was shot. The extent of that person's injuries remained unclear in the immediate aftermath. Minutes later, the suspect encountered a Lakewood police officer and shot him as well. That officer was taken into surgery Monday evening to treat the gunshot wound.
The final confrontation came when the suspect exchanged gunfire with Lakewood officers. The suspect was killed in that exchange, though authorities said it remained unclear whether the fatal shot came from police or another source. By the time the shooting had stopped, Lakewood police had confirmed two deaths in their jurisdiction, including the suspected shooter, and two injured people—the police officer and the hotel clerk.
Across both Denver and Lakewood, the toll was five dead and at least two others wounded. Police said they believed a single shooter was responsible for all the incidents. The investigation into the exact sequence of events and the circumstances of the suspect's death was ongoing, with authorities working to determine whether additional incidents might be connected to the spree.
Notable Quotes
This is the holiday season. To have this type of spree take place is not normal for our community. We cannot lose sight of the victims.— Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
What made this particular Monday different from other days in Denver?
The sheer compression of it. Four shootings in Denver in about an hour, then the violence spreading west to Lakewood. That's not the pattern police usually see.
When the suspect opened fire on Lakewood officers, what was the immediate response?
They returned fire. But here's the thing—by the time it was over, no one could say for certain whether the suspect died from police bullets or something else. That uncertainty matters for what comes next legally and investigatively.
The police chief mentioned it was the holiday season. Why does that detail matter?
Because it frames the shock. People expect violence to have patterns, seasons. A rampage like this in December, when communities are supposed to be gathering, feels like a rupture in the normal order.
One officer was shot and went into surgery. What does that tell us about the intensity of the encounter?
That the suspect wasn't just firing randomly. They were engaging directly with police, creating a genuine firefight. The officer's survival depended on getting to surgery quickly.
Why couldn't authorities immediately say what happened to the hotel clerk?
Chaos. In the immediate aftermath, when you're still processing an active shooter situation, you don't have complete information about every victim. The focus is on stopping the threat and securing the scene.