A violent incident unfolded outside a popular Denver bar owned by country singer Dierks Bentley on Saturday night, when a woman, denied entry, opened fire, injuring five people. The suspect remains at large, with Denver police intensifying their search efforts five days after the incident at Whiskey Row, a bustling nightlife hub in the city’s downtown area.
Investigators believe the woman was targeting the bar’s security staff who had prevented her from entering the establishment on Market Street, suspecting her of using a fraudulent ID. After being turned away, she reportedly left the queue of patrons waiting to enter, only to return moments later, brandishing a firearm and firing indiscriminately towards the country music club around 11:15 p.m., according to Denver Public Safety.
However, the bullets did not hit the intended targets, instead striking five bystanders outside the bar. Authorities have stated that these individuals were not believed to be the intended victims. Fortunately, all five are expected to recover from their injuries.
Andrew Reader, a security worker at a bar across the street, recounted hearing six gunshots. His immediate response was to usher everyone on the sidewalk in front of his bar inside and secure the doors. He and his colleagues then guided patrons towards the back of the bar, allowing them to exit through the back door once the police had declared the area safe.
Madison Sharnowski, a woman who was in line behind the suspect at Whiskey Row, described the chaos that ensued when the shooting began. She recalled people screaming and running, and her initial reaction of freezing when she heard seven or eight gunshots. She expressed gratitude that neither she nor her friends were injured, despite a woman in front of and behind her group being shot.
Sharnowski stayed with one of the victims, a young woman shot in the ankle, until medical help arrived. She assisted the victim in contacting her mother. Most of the victims, she noted, appeared to have been shot in the legs.
Denver police have released a photo of the suspected shooter and are offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to her arrest. The investigation is ongoing.