One person was shot and killed Saturday during dueling protests in Denver, Colorado, police said. Two people, including one suspect, have been taken into custody.
The shooting occurred near the Denver Art Museum as two opposing groups were holding rallies in the area. Denver police said the suspect is “a private security guard with no affiliation with Antifa.” Police said both people taken into custody are white males.
NBC affiliate 9news reports that the suspect being detained by police is a private security guard hired by the station. The station also reports the second person taken into custody was a 9news producer who has since been released.
Police said they recovered a mace canister from the scene. Video of the shooting posted to social media appears to show a cloud of mace being sprayed right before the shot is fired.
The man who was killed appears to have been part of what was billed as a “Patriot Muster.” The event page for that rally stated “BLM, Antifa, and related Marxist associations are assaulting everything we love and cherish about this country!”
In response, left-wing groups planned a counter rally which they called a “BLM-ANTIFA Soup Drive.”
Due to ongoing unrest throughout the country and violence that erupted at earlier events in the city, Denver business owners were warned of the possibility of violence prior to Saturday’s protests.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
