DENVER (KDVR) — One person is in custody after they allegedly began shooting a gun near Trupp Park in Bennett Tuesday evening.
According to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, two people were fighting near the park when one of them fired multiple rounds.
No one was hit, Adams County deputies told FOX31, but there was a soccer practice taking place at the park, as this happened around 5:15 p.m.
“The coaches are yelling, ‘Get down, get down!'” a mother of two boys at the soccer practice said. “It’s surreal. You don’t bring your children to practice thinking that something might happen to them that will put them in danger at all.”
When police arrived they were able to take the suspected shooter into custody.
“They had their weapons drawn and I hear them hollering at this individual. They went through the moves and put him and handcuffed him,” a man who lives near the park said.
Because the park is only a short distance from the Bennett school campus, all buildings were locked down Tuesday night.
“The school went into a secure situation immediately to protect students during the volleyball game and after-school activities. We appreciate our family’s patience during the situation as we were following protocols given to us from law enforcement,” the district said in part in a statement to the school community Tuesday night.
Classes and activities were also canceled on Wednesday.
Shooting like these are very uncommon in Bennett, a community of about 3,000 people that does not have its own police department and relies on the Adams County Sheriff’s deputies for protection.
“Part of the town died, you know the history of the town, because there were people at that park. Children. One of those stray bullets could have gone through a child or anybody at that park,” Debbie Froman said.
A spokesman for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office said 20-year-old Joey Prieto of Bennet has been arrested in connection with the shooting. What charges he could be facing is not known at this time.
Joey Prieto, 20, of Bennett, is in custody but the charges he’s facing are not yet known. Deputies have not released any information about what caused the fight or the identity of the second person involved.