THORNTON, Colo. — A Thornton Top Golf employee left work early and then returned to the business and shot at two coworkers in the parking lot – killing one of them – two days before Christmas, according to an arrest affidavit for the suspect from the Thornton Police Department.
Around 12:50 a.m. Dec. 23, officers responded to Top Golf, in the 16000 block of Grant Street. They found a 22-year-old man who had been shot. He was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries.
According to the affidavit, the suspect, Victor Salazar-Guarache, 26, and the victim both worked as dishwashers at Top Golf. The kitchen manager told investigators that Salazar-Guarche left work for an unknown reason at 11:42 p.m. even though his shift was not over. Cameras showed him get into his car and drive around the parking lot.
An hour later, after closing up, the victim and the manager walked out to the parking lot. At that time, the affidavit says, Salazar-Guarache got out of a vehicle and took a "shooting stance" before he began firing at the two men. The victim fell to the ground, while the kitchen manager ran inside.
Salazar-Guarache continued to shoot after the victim was on the ground, firing a total of 12 times before he got back in his car and drove away, the affidavit says.
A rideshare driver who was at the business to pick up another employee told police he witnessed the shooting. He reported that he saw Salazar-Guarache take the "shooting stance" and that no one else was with him. He told investigators that it appeared Salazar-Guarache was laughing as he returned to his vehicle after the shooting.
Salazar-Guarache was identified as the suspect by multiple employees, as well as through security footage. Just after 4:10 a.m. Dec. 23, the Larimer County Sheriff's Office spotted his vehicle traveling north on Interstate 25 and initiated a high-risk traffic stop.
He was taken into custody and declined to make a statement. He's due in court Jan. 2, when formal charges are expected.
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