TV station security guard kills one during Denver protests

A shooting near competing protests left one person dead in Denver on Saturday, CNN reports.

Police arrested the suspected shooter, who was working as a private security guard for local television station KUSA-TV, also known as 9NEWS.

“The private security guard was contracted through Pinkerton by 9NEWS. It has been the practice of 9NEWS for a number of months to hire private security to accompany staff at protests,” KUSA-TV reported. ”

“[Denver Police Department] originally took two people into custody, and later found the second individual, a 9NEWS producer who works in the investigative unit, was not involved in the incident. The producer is no longer in police custody and is not a suspect.”

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Pinkerton is a private security firm.

Police officers on the scene aided the victim, who was rushed to a hospital and later died. The case is being investigated as a homicide. The shooting occurred in Denver’s Civic Center Park at about 3:37 p.m., around the time the protests were concluding.

Denver Police Investigations Division Chief Joe Montoya told reporters during a news conference on Saturday that a verbal altercation preceded the shooting, and that two firearms and a can of Mace were found at the scene.

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock tweeted that while he encouraged peaceful protests, violence would not be tolerated.

“Political differences should be resolved at the ballot box and not in the streets, and we will keep it that way through this election season and beyond,” Hancock tweeted. “And with the pandemic, we encourage people to not gather in large groups, and stay safe at home.

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[Feature Photo: Pixabay]