Two drive-by-shootings occurred within two days outside the Pita Jungle on South University Boulevard last weekend.
Four males have been arrested and charged with attempted homicide against a police officer, according to Tyrone Mills, associate director of Campus Safety.
Two additional suspects remain at large.
Campus Safety provided the following account:
At approximately 3:50 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, a fight broke out inside Pita Jungle. An off-duty police officer who was hired by the restaurant called for backup. When the additional police arrived, the individuals involved in the fight had already left.
“[They] actually came back, and those are the same two individuals that did the drive-by shooting,” Mills said.
Mills said between nine and 10 men were arrested. Four were charged and arrested. None are affiliated with the University of Denver.
According to Mills, the shooters came “pretty close” to shooting a police officer.
The second incident occurred two nights later, at approximately 2:20 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 22.
An unidentified male shot into the front windows of the Pita Jungle from a moving vehicle.
A witness received a minor injury to his hand and was treated on the scene by paramedics.
According to Mills, police believe that after the two suspects were refused service in the restaurant, “they got mad and left, and they [the police] believe that those two individuals might have been the ones that drove by and shot into the building.”
The Denver Police Department did not comment on the incident. “The investigation is still ongoing, and we can’t release any details,” said Detective Jay Spitzer.
Campus Safety placed crime notices in all residential facilities, including Greek housing, and posted a notice on their Web site.
Neil Krauss, assistant vice chancellor of business and financial affairs, could not be reached regarding whether or not local community residents were informed of the incident.
Mills said shootings incidents so close to campus are extremely rare. “This is really very unusual for the university, for an off-campus venue to have this kind of thing happen so close to campus,” he said.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Campus Safety Investigator Albert Monger at (303) 871-4226, the Campus Safety anonymous tip line at (303) 871-3130 or the Denver Police Department at (720) 913-2000.
