A Colorado man, Victor Salazar-Guarache, 26, is facing serious charges after allegedly shooting and killing his co-worker at a Topgolf venue in Thornton, Colorado. Witnesses reported seeing Salazar-Guarache laughing following the fatal incident. The victim, 22-year-old Bryce Holden, was leaving work in the early hours of December 23rd when he was shot multiple times.
Salazar-Guarache is now facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. The motive behind the shooting is still unclear, as authorities have yet to release any details. It was reported that Salazar-Guarache had left work early the night before the incident occurred.
Surveillance footage from the scene showed Salazar-Guarache leaving the venue in his car, only to return later that night. According to the Thornton Police Department, upon his return, Salazar-Guarache parked his car and confronted Holden and a kitchen manager as they were leaving their shifts. Salazar-Guarache allegedly took a shooting stance and began firing at the two employees. The kitchen manager was able to escape, but Holden was not as fortunate, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds and ultimately losing his life.
A Lyft driver, who was in the area to pick up a passenger at the time of the shooting, reported seeing Salazar-Guarache laughing as he returned to his car following the incident. Salazar-Guarache then fled the scene, but was later apprehended by authorities.
Topgolf, the entertainment venue where the shooting took place, expressed their shock and sadness over the incident in a released statement. The venue temporarily closed following the shooting and offered counseling services to their employees.
Salazar-Guarache made his initial court appearance this week and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 29th. Authorities have stated that Salazar-Guarache invoked his right to counsel and refused to cooperate with police during his arrest. The investigation into this tragic act of violence is ongoing, as law enforcement officials continue to search for a motive and gather more evidence related to the case.