DENVER, CO – A woman is being sought by Denver police following a shooting incident outside Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row bar and restaurant that left five people injured, as per reports. The shooting took place late on Saturday night in the Lower Downtown neighborhood.
The woman, who was waiting to enter the popular country music venue, was stopped by security staff who suspected her of using a fraudulent ID. The Denver Police Department, in a statement, detailed that the woman was refused entry to the bar on Market Street. After being turned away, she returned to engage with the security staff once more.
As she left the scene a second time, she allegedly drew a firearm and fired several shots towards the club, injuring five bystanders. The police department clarified that the victims were not the intended targets of the shooting. They also confirmed that all the victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to make a full recovery.
Armando Saldate, the executive director of Denver Public Safety, stated that the situation escalated into a confrontation or fight when the woman revealed a hidden handgun and began firing. The Denver Police Department released images of a woman holding a firearm on Monday.
Madison Sharnowski, an eyewitness to the incident, described the shooting to as a rapid event. She remembered hearing multiple gunshots and the immediate instinct to check if she or anyone in her group had been hit. Sharnowski also mentioned seeing a woman a few people ahead of her and another behind her who had been struck by the gunfire.
A spokesperson for Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, in a statement to KDVR, expressed their concern about the ongoing criminal activity in the Lower Downtown area and their ongoing discussions with city officials and community leaders to address the issue. The police are offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.