2 Killed, 4 Wounded In Weekend Shootings In Denver

DENVER (CBS4) - Six shootings in the past weekend have many in downtown Denver wondering when they will see a break in violence.

"When we were a block north, I wouldn't walk past this building specifically because it was kind of abandoned," Rhiannon Arriaga-Mackenzie said.

Arriaga-Mackenzie came to work at Blake Street Tavern 14 years ago. She said it looks like the area could use some help.

"I have seen a ton of crime increase in the last few years in downtown," she noted.

Arriaga-Mackenzie thinks it is time city leaders stepped in to help.

"They can't sit on their hands anymore and do nothing," she said.

Andy Feinstein operates Tracks Nightclub in RiNo. He thinks more security, public or private, is important to keep the late-night scene safer.

"If we would allow bars to stay open longer, then we would have the in-house security in every single bar, every single club, watching the patrons until 3 in the morning until 4 in the morning," Feinstein explained.

He prefers that bars set their own closing time, to avoid pushing everyone out on the street at once.

Michael Mills with Metro Denver Crime Stoppers sees two solutions; one is an incentive to take illegal guns off the streets.

"Illegal guns off of our streets and out of hands of people who shouldn't have them will help prevent crime," Mills said. "People want to raise their families in safe environments."

The other solution is to encourage people to be more proactive in reporting crimes to police. In this approach, the entire community can help keep watch.

To report crimes anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP(7867) or metrodenvercrimestoppers.com.