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(UPDATED) 1 dead, man in custody after fatal shooting in Denver near 'Patriot Rally' and 'BLM-Antifa' counter-protest
Twitter @Austin_Zone video screenshot

(UPDATED) 1 dead, man in custody after fatal shooting in Denver near 'Patriot Rally' and 'BLM-Antifa' counter-protest

Disturbing footage coming out of Denver

Update: After the publication of this article, the Denver Police said the suspect has no affiliation with Antifa. Previous news reports suggested otherwise.

Two suspects were taken into custody by police on Saturday afternoon after a person was shot and killed in downtown Denver. The shooting happened near two rival protests between a "Patriot" rally and a "BLM-Antifa" counter-protest.

Denver Police released a statement late Saturday night: "Further investigation has determined the suspect is a private security guard with no affiliation with Antifa. Additional information will be released as it becomes available."

9NEWS is reporting: "A 9NEWS producer and a 9NEWS contractor were taken into custody."

The 9NEWS producer was reportedly a person of interest, but was later released and is not a suspect, according to 9NEWS.

"A private security guard who was hired by 9NEWS is the suspect detained by DPD," 9NEWS reported Friday night. "It has been the practice of 9NEWS for a number of months to hire private security to accompany staff at protests."

An event dubbed the "Patriot Muster" rally organized by John "Tig" Tiegen was held at 2 p.m. at Denver's Civic Center Park. "It's time we let these communist socialists know we have had enough," a description of the event read. "Fight back, push back. Time to take our country back!"

Once the Denver Communists organization caught wind of the rally, they scheduled a counter-protest called the "BLM-Antifa Soup Drive."

"We scheduled our action after learning that the militia-fascists had called a 'patriot muster' against the Black Lives Matter movement, anti-fascists and Marxists," a spokesperson for Denver Communists said. "That's us — guilty as charged and happy to oblige with our presence."

"The plan is to set up our tables and tents in Civic Center Park, as near as we can be to the fascists," Denver Communists said. "We'll have soup for our family, music, speakers, communist books, and plenty of angry anti-fascist chants."

KUSA reporter Marc Sallinger was covering the rally and the counter-protest.

"Hello from downtown Denver where far-right militia groups are holding a rally," Sallinger wrote on Twitter. "Far-left Black Lives Matter Antifa groups are holding a counter protest nearby."

Police separated the two opposing groups with fences.



At 5:48 p.m. EST, Denver Police's official Twitter account wrote: "Officers are investigating a shooting that occurred in the Courtyard by the Art Museum." The police said the shooting victim was transported to the hospital.

The Denver Police shared updates that two suspects were in custody, and that the shooting was "now being investigated as a Homicide."

Video from the area shows an orange cloud of smoke or vapor followed by the sound of a gunshot. Footage shows Denver Police rush to the scene with guns drawn, then order two men to the ground, including a man dressed in all black with a handgun. Meanwhile, the victim lay motionless on the ground.

(CAUTION: Graphic video)



Earlier in the day, rival protesters got in each others face. There were also agitators dressed in all black burning a thin blue line flag in front of Denver Police.

At one point, men dressed in all black with umbrellas scream at police for speaking to an older woman. The woman instructs everyone to "relax."

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Paul Sacca

Paul Sacca

Paul Sacca is a staff writer for Blaze News.
@Paul_Sacca →