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Denver Protest Shooting Suspect Matthew Dolloff Remains In Custody On Investigation Of 1st Degree Murder In Death Of Lee Keltner

DENVER (CBS4)- Private security guard Matthew Dolloff faced a judge for the first time Sunday morning during a virtual advisement hearing. Dolloff, 30, remained in custody on Monday for investigation of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Lee Keltner.

Matthew Dolloff Booking Photo from DPD
Matthew Dolloff (credit: Denver Police)

The shooting happened as two opposing demonstrations wrapped up in downtown Denver Saturday.

According to Denver TV station KUSA, Dolloff was contracted by 9News through the security company Pinkerton.

RELATED: Lee Keltner Identified As Victim In Denver Protest Shooting

"We are in the process of still gathering information to better understand the incident that occurred in Denver on October 10th involving a contractor agent. Pinkerton is fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities in their investigation of this matter."

The Denver Department of Excise and Licenses confirms Dolloff did not have an active security guard license at the time of the shooting.

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(credit: CBS)

"This individual doesn't currently have, and has never applied or had, a required security guard license," said Department of Excise and Licenses' Eric Escudero. "If you're going to do security guard work in Denver, you're required to have that license."

The department has an open administrative investigation in this case.

"For a security guard employer who hires security guards, they are required by Denver law that all of their security guards have the security guard individual license," Escudero said. "Any company that hires a security guard, and that security guard doesn't have an individual license, that company puts their license that allows them to do business, hiring security guards, at risk."

Lee Keltner CIVIC CENTER SHOOTING VICTIM 5PKG.Consolidated.01_frame_277
(credit: CBS)

The Denver Department of Excise and Licenses states if Dolloff was operating as a security guard, he was in violation of the law. Administratively, a security guard operating without a license could be fined up to $999 dollars and face up to a year in jail. The company he works for is also legally responsible for making sure all their security guard employees have a license and could face administrative action against their required security guard employer license if they have security guards working without a license.

The department also says security guards are prohibited from carrying or using a firearm without getting an armed firearm endorsement for their license. All security guards in Denver are required to get a federal background check before they receive their license.

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