CCPD Detectives Investigating Restaurant Shooting

Published on August 18, 2023

COMMERCE CITY, COLO. (Aug. 18, 2023) – The Commerce City Police Department is continuing to investigate a shooting that occurred Thursday, Aug. 17 just after 4 p.m. near Highway 85 and E. 72nd Avenue at Santiago’s.

Officers were called to what was dispatched as an active shooter; when they arrived they found a 15-year-old boy—an employee of the business—with a gunshot wound. It was determined the teen and a customer had an argument which then turned violent when both individuals began firing guns at each other.

The customer had gotten into a vehicle and left the scene prior to our arrival. The driver of that vehicle pulled over a short time later and dialed 911, at which time it appears the customer exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The female driver and two children who were passengers in the vehicle were uninjured and uninvolved in the shooting altercation.

While detectives know the identity of the customer, at this time he has not been located. We are reviewing surveillance footage of the incident to determine the appropriate charges for either or both parties.

We would like to speak with the customer involved in this incident as well as any witnesses we did not contact at the scene. Please reach out to Detective Sergeant Aragon directly: 303-727-3901. Further media inquiries are to be directed to our Public Information Officer, whose contact is above.