DENVER — A woman was shot late Wednesday inside a former hotel that's now a shelter, despite an increase in security following a double homicide at the same building less than two weeks ago.
A spokesman for the Denver Police Department said they responded to 4040 North Quebec St. in the Central Park neighborhood at 11:40 p.m. Wednesday. Police said the shooting happened in one of the rooms at the former hotel, which the city converted into a shelter for those experiencing homelessness.
Police said the woman was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and is expected to survive.
Police said Thursday morning that Cameron Ware, 34, was arrested on an attempted murder charge in connection with the shooting. Police said it appears Ware and the victim knew each other, "and that the victim may have been targeted because of a prior conflict." The suspect and victim were both residents at the facility, police said.
Police said Thursday afternoon that another resident of the shelter, 43-year-old William Jackson, was also arrested on an attempted murder charge in connection with the shooting.
Police said they quickly identified Ware as a suspect using surveillance video, and tracked him to a separate room in the building. He was arrested early Thursday morning.
The shooting comes less than two weeks after two people were fatally shot at that location on March 16. Sandra Cervantes and Dustin Nunn were found dead inside a room there around 9:40 p.m. No arrests have been made in connection with their deaths.
After the double homicide, the spokesperson for Denver's Department of Housing Stability (HOST) said the city added eight security guards to the facility. This shooting happened after Denver beefed up security at the former DoubleTree.
The City of Denver signed a $10 million contract with the Salvation Army to run this shelter last year. Security was part of the deal. Four months in, the city is taking the lead in securing the shelter. The city allocated $800,000 for security at this location. HOST is now looking to amend the contract to take back those funds.
Executive Director of HOST Jamie Rife said Wednesday that current shelter residents have swipe cards with photo IDs.
All Thursday morning and afternoon, Denver City Councilwoman Shontel Lewis said concerned constituents stopped by her office in District 8. Her district has three hotel shelters - including the DoubleTree.
"I think we have invested in the structure for folks to get housed, but I don’t think we have invested in the support of structures people need to stay housed," Lewis said.
For months she's been worried about concentrating poverty in her district, and now she's concerned people aren't getting the resources they need.
"It has been an eight-month battle of patience and frustration, and I am devastated and disappointed it has taken the loss of life for people to be like…'Oh wait. Maybe what Councilwoman Lewis was talking about is actually the right approach,'" she said.
Rife with HOST said her department is working with Salvation Army to increase wraparound services at their sites.
Police Chief Ron Thomas said metal detectors are in place at the shelter, but police believe the gun used in Wednesday's shooting was already in the building before the detectors were installed. He said police are working to locate any other weapons that may be in the building.
According to Denver Police, there were 465 calls for service to the shelter between Jan. 1 and March 17 of this year.
Anyone with information about the double homicide or Wednesday night's shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 or visit metrodenvercrimestoppers.com. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
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