Potential mass shooting foiled ahead of MLB All-Star game
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The 2021 MLB All-Star Game logo is displayed at Coors Field. Photo: Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images
Police arrested four people and removed weapons and ammunition from a hotel room near the Denver stadium that will be hosting Major League Baseball's All-Star game next week, the Denver Channel reports.
Why it matters: Police feared a "Las Vegas style shooting" could have resulted during the All-Star game after discovering "16 long guns, body armor and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition" in a room on the eighth floor with a balcony overlooking the downtown Denver area.
State of play: Police received a tip from a maid working at the Maven hotel and were able to execute a search warrant in two hotel rooms and discover the weapons, body armor, ammunition, and one man inside the hotel room, according to a statement from the Denver Police Department.
- The second room searched was located on the hotel's fourth floor, ABC News reports. The maid alerted the authorities after spotting a rifle while cleaning one of the rooms.
- In total three men and one woman were arrested Friday night, and two vehicles were impounded for possible evidence. The charges for the suspects are pending but are related to "illegal possession of firearms," per DPD.
- One of the male suspects had recently posted a message on Facebook about their recent divorce and saying he was "going to 'go out in a big way,'" the Denver Channel reports.
The bottom line: "Police sources acknowledged the threat of such firearms close to massive crowds but have not yet determined any link to a mass shooting plot," per ABC News.
What they're saying: "We are incredibly proud that our team swiftly alerted the authorities in this instance. We are thankful to DPD for their quick action to safely resolve this situation and will continue to work closely with them to support their investigation," the Maven Hotel said in a statement, per the Denver Channel.
- “The investigation and arrests were the result of a tip from the public, serving as an excellent example of the critical role the community plays in public safety,” DPD said in their statement.
