Witness: 2 Men Fighting When 3rd Man Started Shooting

DENVER (CBS4)- One person is in critical condition after a shooting early New Year's day outside The Church nightclub.

A witness, who didn't want to be identified, told CBS4 he saw the shooting happen outside the nightclub near 12th between Lincoln and Sherman just after 1:30 a.m. Friday. He said two men were fighting, rolling around on the ground when a third man pulled out a gun and fired, striking one man.

"When the gunshots went off it was just chaos and I couldn't really think at that moment," said the witness.

The witness told police the gunman tried to leave the parking lot in a vehicle but couldn't.

"He left in his Ford Ranger, tried to leave, saw it was blocked off some car blocked him off and he went on foot," said the witness.

Police searched for a suspect described as an Hispanic man wearing a grey shirt.

Partygoers said The Church started to become unruly about 2 a.m. Friday.

"I saw bouncers kicking people out, a lot of them," said Alejandro Gamiz.

Moments before the shooting Gamiz thought he saw the man police hope to find, a man in a grey shirt or sweater.

"And this guy looked a little disheveled... he was the one that got escorted by five bouncers, just walked him out," said Gamiz. "He looked like he was ready to go for another round."

Gamiz and his wife, Diana, came to Denver from Greeley to ring in the new year but it may be awhile before they return.

"I don't know if I want to come back, it is kind of risky because it could've happened inside, I feel like, good thing it happened out here where there was less of a crowd," said Diana.