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SSUE 48 12 ISSUE

WEEK ,OF MARCH 23, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24,2023 2020

NewShooting COVID-19 restrictions prohibit indoor dining, personal gatherings puts will Brighton schools Communities

try design to improve public safety

on ‘secure’, lockdown status

State dollars aim to prevent crime with environmental changes BY BRITTANY FREEMAN AND CULLEN PURSER ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

A shooting near Brighton High School March 15 prompted a heavy response from law enforcement. As of mid-afternoon March 15, PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR authorities recovered shell casings near BHS but no weapon.

Three suspects arrested in wake of shooting outside of Brighton High

all doors were closed and locked, confinement of students to the school and no entry to or exit from the school. Other schools were on “secure stats,” meaning a threat in the area near a school. This was formerly called a “lockout.” BY SCOTT TAYLOR “The school district is working STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM with the Brighton Police Department now and conducting a conafter trolled release,” Domenico said at A One longperson line of was carswounded outside the city of Brighton’s rapid testing site at a shooting on March 15 at South the 3 p.m. press conference. Riverdale Regional Park.Street, The site has had“Th to is close early days in recent Ninth Avenue and Bush near came outmany at about 12:30 weeks due to high demand. Adams County’s 14-day positivityand rate Brighton High School. p.m., and this test is lunchtime, “We believe we have the17, according there are multiple schools in the was 15.9 percent, as of all Nov. to Tri-County Health Department. suspects custody at thisCity’s time,”test positivity area. Thrates ere were number of stuBrightonin and Commerce wereaboth higher than Brighton Police Chief Matt Domeni- dents in the area,” Domenico said. “I 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 in Commerce City have co said at a press conference at the just want to share that our concern died from related health issues. Tonow limitisthe of COVID-19, scene. “WeCOVID-19 have three individuals right thatspread incidents like this in two thatmoved were taken into restrictions are traumatic everyone involved, at custody, least 15 counties to tighter thatfor prohibits indoor and custody a traffic stop and another but especially our school commupersonalatgatherings. that was taken into custody a little nity and we do send our thoughts to later.” everyone there.” The resulting investigation put Counselors were available March both Brighton and Prairie View high 16 for those who needed them,Ward acPhoto by Belen schools on lockdown, meaning cording to district spokesman Kevin

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Denke. The incident happened near South Ninth Avenue and Bush Street. One victim went to an area urgent care clinic with a gunshot wound and Brighton police tweeted that potential suspects were near East 120th Avenue and Salem Street. Police searched several classrooms inside -- not far from ByPVHS Ellis Arnold the reported sighting -- but did not Colorado Community Media find a suspect. At his press conference, Domenico As Denver metro declined to say howcounties old thecontinue people to inch closerintothe local stay-at-home involved shooting wereorders or if they students at either school. underwere Colorado’s system of coronavirusIn a written statement issued later related restrictions, the state announced in the day, Brighton Police said a new level of rules that prohibits indoor that additional juveniles believed dining and personal gatherings — a to be involved were contacted and change that applies to the majority of the detained. Detectives believe this was an Denver metro area and many counties in isolated incident and there is no other regions. ongoing threat to the community. The state’s COVID-19 dial, which has been in effectSEEsince September, is the set SHOOTING, P2 of different levels of restrictions that each

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Mike Burns bought a home right on the river near Delta, Colorado, with plans to spend the summers fishing outdoors with his grandkids. But those kinds of excursions haven’t always felt safe, since the family learned more about what had been happening in their new neighborhood. “Crime, drugs, theft, things like that,” he said. “Because of the things that are going on, it’s created some anxiety in us.” It turns out the Burns family had moved to a 2,000-foot stretch of dirt road that is at the epicenter of roughly 10 percent of every call the small local sheriff ’s office receives. The sheriff sent more deputies to patrol the area but that has left some neighbors even more unnerved. “You’ve got four five based sheriff county is required toor follow on’sthe vehicles next to your severity ofparked a county’s local virus yard,” spread. neighbor Steve Martinez said. “What The people dial grewgoing out oftothethink state’sabout safer-atare home kind order of —neighborhood the policy that came what it is after that the statewide order this you’re livingstay-at-home in?” But there’s a new sense oftypes hopeofon spring and allowed numerous this rural Delta County road these businesses to reopen. days, thanks to an infusion of state The state recently color— dollars set aside to switched prevent to crime identifiers — levels blue, yellow and not with more police officers — but orange rather than numbered levels — to with environmental improvements. Th e Crime Prevention Th avoid confusion. Until Nov. 17,rough level red Safer grant program is promeantStreets a stay-at-home order. Now, level viding communities with millions of red — “severe risk” — is the secondSEE SAFETY, P3

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