Five dead, three wounded in Colorado workplace violence attacks
A 47-year-old man went on a killing rampage on Monday evening, December 27, 2021 leaving five people dead and three wounded in Denver and nearby Lakewood, Colorado.
After the suspect entered the Hyatt House hotel in Lakewood, he shot clerk Sarah Steck, 28, who was on duty Monday evening multiple times. Steck was transported to an area hospital and died from her wounds the next day. According to police, the suspect had had prior interactions at the hotel.
Law enforcement pictured inside the lobby of One Cheesman Place in Denver on the evening of December 27, 2021, one of several locations targeted by the shooter. Photo curtesy Jeremy Sparig
Three of the persons killed were members of the tattoo community and were, according to the police, known to the shooter. Danny Scofield, 38, was shot dead at the Lucky 13 Tattoo, located in Lakewood. Scofield was employed there as a tattoo artist. Tattoo artists Alyssa Gunn-Maldonado and her husband, whose name has not yet been released, were also murdered.
Alicia Cardenas, 44, the owner of Denver's Sol Tribe Tattoo & Piercing shot dead during the killing rampage, was a tattooer, mural artist and cultural anthropologist, according to her establishment's website. Cardenas was described as a "true Denver Native" and a "proud Indigenous artist" on the website.
The shooter also pursued two people in their Denver homes. The name of the fifth person who was murdered during the hour-long rampage has not yet been released.
Authorities say the perpetrator got into a shoot-out with a police officer, wounding her. She returned fire and killed him, putting a stop to the deadly killing spree.
The man had been investigated by law enforcement in 2020 and 2021 but no charges were filed. According to Denver police Chief Paul Pazen: “This individual was on the radar of law enforcement." Chief Pazen did not elaborate on the types of activities the shooter was involved in.
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