Parents Not Sure Why Man On Disability Was Shot To Death In Another City
By Tom Mustin
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - Pieces of a shattered fence still litter the ground after a deadly shooting in Lakewood.
"You wonder if you're safe anymore," neighbor Paula Sierra told CBS4's Tom Mustin Saturday around 7 p.m.
A neighbor who didn't want to be named said he had been outside his apartment near 9th Avenue and Allison Street when he heard several shots fired.
"Pop, pop, pop, pop -- about 10 rounds went off," he said.
He saw a Honda race down the street and crash through shrubbery and a fence.
"Just riddled with bullets, back window busted out," he told Mustin. "Ends up into the stop sign with tires and everything still spinning."
He said the driver, identified by police as Phillip Peny, 44, from Wheat Ridge, had been shot several times. He died before the car came to a stop.
"He was shot and comes down the block. He died in between there and here because his car veered off, and when we ran up we saw the car just riddled with bullet holes," the neighbor said.
Seconds later, the neighbor said he saw a woman drive up to the scene, and a man get out of the car.
"Guy gets out, runs up to the car … gets a bag from it, runs back to the car that was parked right here then takes off."
Lakewood police say they're pursuing several leads but no arrests have been made. They're not commenting on a motive for the crime, but the neighbor has his own theory.
"He got shot and robbed of everything he had. Drug deal or something gone wrong," he said.
As detectives search for clues after another homicide, the neighbor says the shooting is a sign of the times.
"It could happen anywhere."
Peny's parents live in Lakewood. They say their son has been on disability from work. They have no idea why he would have been in Lakewood on a Saturday night.
The neighbor described the suspects as a man and woman, both African-American. Anyone who has information in the case is asked to call police in Lakewood.
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.
