Multiple gunshots were fired in a Denver neighborhood.
And before it was over, a child became a victim and was taken to the hospital. The injuries were not life-threatening.
Residents of the Whittier neighborhood stated they suspect gang violence, though the Denver Police Department said it’s too early to say.
The apartment at 1433 E. 30th Ave. near Humboldt Street might have been targeted by criminals around 10 p.m.
Neighbors stated a young woman lives there with at least two children. The violence is too familiar for neighbors.
“I heard the shots. I heard, ‘boom, boom, boom, boom.’ Four shots. Then, ‘boom, boom, boom.’ Seven shots,” resident Harold Butcher said.
Then, he found out who the victim was inside the apartment.
“I didn’t know the little kid got shot there last night,” he said.
Bullets came in through two front windows and one in back. One of the bullets hit a child inside.
Butcher said it wouldn’t surprise him if it was a gang-related shooting.
“I’ve been shot at, at least 10 times in my life around here. It doesn’t bother me,” he said.
He said a lack of youth programming to keep kids busy contributes to the problem. It’s a problem neighbors said spiked in March with several shootings in northeast Denver.
They also said they have been so concerned about an increase in gang violence that they held a community meeting Thursday with police to address the issue.
“These cats are out here running wild. They have nowhere to go, nothing to do and you can’t keep them off the street,” Butcher said.
But new resident Jon Kuehler, who moved in from Uptown six months ago, believes crime like this can happen anywhere.
“I feel really safe around this area,” he said.
But other longtime residents said they feel less safe after Monday night’s violence. And they’re counting on their community and police to unite to better fight a danger that puts innocent lives in jeopardy.
“I know there’s been more violence in this area and across Denver. So it’s not terribly surprising,” Kuehler said.
One neighbor said when he heard the shots, he looked out the window and saw a silver or gray car parked in the middle of Humboldt facing north. Then, a male jumped into the back seat and the driver took off.
Police said they are increasing their presence in the neighborhood — and have a concerted plan to address the gang problem — with some obvious solutions and some not so obvious.