DENVER — A woman accused of shooting five people after she was denied entry to a bar in Denver's Lower Downtown district in September of last year took a plea deal Friday in Denver District Court.
Keanna Rosenburgh, 18, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder in connection with the Sept. 16, 2023 shooting, in front of Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row, located at 1946 Market St.
As Denver7 reported at the time based off information from the Denver Police Department, Rosenburgh was denied entry to the bar and began walking away but quickly returned to have another conversation with security staff.
As she walked away a second time, police claim Rosenburgh took out a firearm and fired shots in the direction of the club multiple times, injuring several people whom officers believe were not the intended targets.
Denver
Woman describes 'traumatic' moments during Whiskey Row shooting in Denver
After the shooting, officers, some of whom were working in an off-duty capacity in the area, quickly responded and found a total of five adult victims. Paramedics rushed the victims to the hospital with what police said were non-life-threatening injuries.
Rosenburgh was arrested about a month later, on Oct. 19, in Barstow, Calif., roughly 122 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
She faces up to seven years in the Colorado Youthful Offender System and a 21-year suspended sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections when she’s sentenced on Jan. 22, 2025.
"I was going home, so this was still earlier in the night. I was actually on the sidewalk, and I was leaving to go home, heard gunshots, and I thought that maybe I had tripped, and then I realized I couldn't get up," said Desarae Gomez, who was shot that night in both of her legs.
Over the last year she's undergone several surgeries and still has a long road to recovery before she's fully able to use her legs.
"There's a lot of people impacted that night, and I don't agree. I don't think that the plea bargain should have happened that way," she said. "When one count of attempted murder is a minimum of eight years and she has eight counts of attempted murder, the logic isn't there."
Denver7 reached out to the Denver District Attorneys Office, which released a statement explaining the rationale behind their decision.
"There are several factors that went into the decision to offer a plea agreement in this case, including the severity of the crime and the wishes of the victims, but also Ms. Rosenburgh’s age at the time of the crime and her lack of a previous criminal record. After balancing all that, we believe the plea agreement will hold the defendant accountable for her actions while also providing a path for her rehabilitation. It should also be noted that the Youthful Offender System is a rigorous program that places significant demands and restrictions on youthful offenders, and, should Ms. Rosenburgh not be able to complete the program, she will be sentenced to 21 years in prison."
Gomez said that as she continues her recovery, she hopes there will be a day when people can go out on a Saturday night and not worry about being shot by a stranger.
"Something definitely has to change," she said.
Denver7's Danielle Kreutter contributed to this report.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.