A horrific shooting in downtown Denver injured ten people just hours after fans celebrated the Nuggets’ first NBA championship win.
After the Denver Nuggets‘ historic victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night, the team’s supporters partied for hours in the streets. However, the celebrations came to an end at 12.30 am when shots were fired into the gathering near Market Street.
The incident happened approximately a mile from Ball Arena in a neighbourhood with many sports clubs that were broadcasting the NBA Finals.
Photos from Market Street on Monday night and Tuesday morning show crowds of Nuggets fans decked out in yellow and blue converging in the middle of the street.
‘As far as what led up to this altercation that resulted in the shots being fired, that’s still under investigation at this time,’ Denver Police spokesperson Doug Schepman said.
He also said the incident was possibly related to the game and festivities. ‘It did occur in the area where we had largest gathering of folks celebrating during the night.’
At least ten people were wounded during in the shooting, including three that were hospitalized in critical condition.
The remaining seven people had non-life-threatening injuries, police said. This total included the suspected shooter, who also sustained a gunshot wound.
The suspected shooter is currently in police custody. They have not yet been identified or charged with a crime.
Denver Police said the incident required a ‘complex, ongoing investigation,’ which is only in its early stages.
The Nuggets beat the Miami Heat in a hard-fought Game 5 of the NBA Finals. In the last few minutes, Denver pulled ahead for a 94-89 victory.
Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic was awarded the Bill Russell Trophy and named the Finals’ most valuable player after becoming the first in history to lead the league in points, rebounds, and assists in a single postseason.
The city is scheduled to hold a parade for the Nuggets on Thursday. It is unclear if Tuesday’s shooting will have any effect on the celebration.