Watch CBS News

Law Enforcement Officer Fired Gun At Motorcycle Expo Where 1 Was Killed

By Melissa Garcia

DENVER, Colo. (CBS4) - Representatives for the parties involved in the deadly shooting at the National Western Complex are speaking out and CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has confirmed a law enforcement officer fired his gun during a fight. It's not clear is there were any other shooters.

STOCK SHOW COMPLEX SHOOTING 6VO_frame_220
(credit: CBS)

The Saturday shooting at the weekend Colorado Motorcycle Expo killed one person and sent seven people to the hospital. Three people remained in critical condition on Sunday.

Detectives were on scene as expo participants had to pack up and leave a day early. The second day of the two-day event was canceled for reasons of public safety and police investigation.

Coliseum shooting (2)
Copter4 flew over the scene outside the National Western Complex (credit: CBS)

Witnesses said the violent incident happened between members of two motorcycle clubs: The Mongols and The Iron Order.

Stephen Stubbs, attorney for The Mongols, told CBS4 News that the incident started as a fist fight instigated by members of Iron Order.

"They were losing that fight substantially, and because they were losing, one of the Iron Order pulled out a gun and shot a Mongol and killed him," said Stubbs.

denver health police
Police on patrol outside Denver Health Medical Center (credit: CBS)

According to Stubbs, another Mongol was critically injured in the shooting.

"To lose a fist fight and decide that your ego can't take that, and pull out a gun and kill somebody -- that's a very cowardly and senseless act," said Stubbs. "That's wrong."

Fight (4)

John Whitfield, attorney for The Iron Order, has a different view.

"My preliminary investigation tells me in no form or manner did any Iron Order member instigate or cause any of the events that led to the tragedy yesterday, and merely reacted to what other non-member individuals may have started and unlawfully provoked," said Whitfield.

Coliseum shooting
Copter4 flew over where police blocked off one road under the I-70 overpass near the shooting scene (credit: CBS)

Whitfield believed that three members of The Iron Order were injured. He said that one may have been shot, another may have been stabbed, and another may have been severely beaten.

On Sunday, police were in the process of interviewing witnesses and victims to determine who might be charged.

"We strongly suspect there's more than one shooter," said Chief Robert White of the Denver Police Department in a news conference on Saturday. "How many firearms were recovered or how many firearms were used on the offense, that's still part of the ongoing (investigation)."

Stubbs said that none of the Mongols involved in the shooting had a gun.

According to Whitfield, some members of the Iron Order are in law enforcement. Maass confirmed the shooter works as a guard for the Colorado Department of Corrections but hasn't been able to get the person's name or where the person works.

Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.