Headlines – June 14, 2023

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Nuggets Victory Parade Planned for Thursday Morning

The Denver Nuggets will celebrate their 2023 Championship title with a parade Thursday morning. The parade will begin at 10AM at Union Station and will proceed down 17th Street to Broadway, then head south to end the parade at Civic Center Park.

Commuters and residents of the downtown area can expect delays for at least two hours. 

Gun Violence Prevention Group Reacts to Monday Night Denver Shooting

Police say a mass shooting in downtown Denver that wounded nine people just after midnight Tuesday morning was not related to the simultaneous Nuggets victory celebrations in the area.

Denver Police report that several individuals were involved in an altercation that ended in shots fired from multiple firearms. Five of the victims have been released from the hospital, and the other four are in fair condition.

The gun violence prevention organizations Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action said in a joint statement Tuesday that despite recently passed gun safety measures, there is “still much more work to be done.”

Colorado lawmakers passed five such gun violence laws during the recently completed 2023 legislative session, in response to nationwide gun violence, as well as multiple Colorado mass shootings.

Alleged Road Rage Incident Results in Double-Homicide on the side of I-25

In a separate incident, one man is dead and another is wounded after a road rage incident on the shoulder of I-25 Tuesday afternoon. The two victims were driving together and had stopped their vehicle in the middle of the right lane under West 6th Avenue. 

One of the victims–a passenger from the stopped car–approached a car behind them. The driver of that car pulled out a firearm and shot the victim in broad daylight. The suspect then drove away while firing several shots, leaving the second victim, the first car’s driver, wounded.

An on-duty Denver detective conducted a traffic stop on the suspect’s vehicle after hearing the gun shots. The suspect has been identified and is being held for two counts of first degree murder.

Former Police Officer Charged with lying in Second Criminal Case

A former Aurora police officer accused of punching a disabled woman while off-duty has resigned. 

According to 9News, Douglas Harron is facing three counts of assault and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for two separate incidents that occurred within weeks of each other. 

According to the report, Harron was on administrative leave after allegedly shooting a suspect on a Dec. 31 domestic violence call. Less than two weeks later, in January of 2023, he was accused of attacking a disabled woman in a parking lot near his house who was walking in the middle of the street with her dog. 

Harron is awaiting a hearing for the alleged assault on June 21. 

CU Professor Charles Wilkinson, Who Advocated for Tribal Water Rights, has Passed

University of Colorado Boulder Professor Charles Wilkinson died June 6th from complications after a stroke.

Wilkinson was renowned for his expertise in tribal affairs and environmental issues in the West, actively collaborating with tribal nations on various legal matters. 

His teaching approach involved immersive experiences, including taking students to explore rivers, abandoned mines, and visit Native American tribes, effectively bringing history, legal, and policy issues to life. 

Wilkinson told students that their role is to “facilitate the voices that aren’t being heard.”

Throughout his extensive career spanning almost six decades, Wilkinson authored several books, including widely recognized casebooks on Indian law and federal public land law.

The State of Colorado Announces A Rebate Program for Electric Vehicles

The State of Colorado is introducing a vehicle exchange program in an effort to incentivize the adoption of electric vehicles.

The program will enable income-qualified Coloradans to exchange their old or high-emitting vehicles for rebates that can go towards the purchase of electric vehicles.

This rebate will provide partial coverage for the upfront expense of the electric vehicle at the time of purchase from authorized dealers.

The so-called Vehicle Exchange Colorado Program is due to launch in August 2023.

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