DENVER — Ten people were shot, four of whom died, in seven separate shootings in the span of a little over 24 hours in the Denver area over the weekend.
Police in Denver, Aurora and Lakewood are investigating the unrelated shootings that also left six others wounded, including a teenage girl.
The three separate shootings in Denver occurred Saturday and involved six victims, three of whom died.
"Unfortunately we're not off to a good start at all in January for 2022," said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock.
The three separate shootings in Aurora Sunday left one man dead and wounded another man and a 17-year-old girl. And a man was shot in the leg in Lakewood early Sunday morning.
The first shooting took place near North Albrook Drive and East Crown Avenue in Denver, according to a tweet sent at 2:09 a.m. Saturday from the Denver Police Department.
Police said the adult victim was located and transported to the hospital in an unknown condition. Police later updated the victim's condition, saying they sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The second incident was a double fatal shooting and occurred Saturday evening near East Colfax and North Ogden Street in Denver.
The two adult victims were pronounced deceased, and police are now investigating this incident as a homicide, DPD tweeted. Their identities have not been released.
About three hours later, Denver police reported on Twitter a third shooting, this time in the 5700 block of North Danube Street.
Three men were shot, one of whom died after he was transported to the hospital, police said. The two other victims showed up at the hospital at a later time and are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner identified the victim as 21-year-old Camon Finley-Ponds. His family has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses.
In Aurora, police are investigating three separate shootings that occurred early Sunday morning and into the afternoon.
The first Aurora shooting happened in the 3100 block of South Halifax Street. Police said a 17-year-old girl was shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The second Aurora shooting occurred around 4:55 a.m. Sunday at a home in the 1500 block of North Dallas Street in northwest Aurora. One man was shot and later died at the hospital, police said.
Investigators believe that there was a gathering at the residence when shots were fired and the man was struck.
The third shooting in Aurora occurred at 3645 S. Dallas St. Sunday afternoon. Police said a man walking in the area was shot in the foot by an unknown person. No motive or suspect description was available.
In Lakewood, a man was shot in the leg around 1 a.m. at the St. Mortiz Apartments, 1724 N. Robb St. The victim tried to drive himself to the hospital but was pulled over by Lakewood police and transported to the hospital from there.
Another man police believe to have been involved in the shooting is unaccounted for. Police were outside the apartment complex Sunday morning trying to get him to surrender, but he has not been located.
No arrests were made, and no other details were available in connection with the six shootings.
"There isn't one single idea is going to solve these crimes," said Hancock. "This is going to have to take … it's going to take a comprehensive approach and a multi pronged approach to be effective."
The mayor continued, saying authorities can be proactive with the help of the community.
"I can put double the number of officers on the street, but if people are watching these things, like a theater happening on social media, in our community, and not intervening, and even in our own families and not intervening, there's not much we can do until afterwards," he said. "We all love the city, and we got to get it back to a place where we all feel safe."
Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and could earn up to $2,000.