Three men armed with chains and bats broke windows and then started fighting with attendees of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting Tuesday night.
The fight began about 8 p.m. at The Esperanza Fe recovery center in the 2500 block of Welton Street.
Several people were attending when the three men tore into the AA meeting with the weapons and began making comments to people before assaulting them, police spokeswoman Virginia Quiñones said. That’s when those at the meeting decided to fight back.
“They just rushed in and started hitting people,” said one of the AA meeting attendees, who asked that he not be named. “They got us by surprise.”
Some at the meeting were cut, scraped and bruised from the fight, but one of the men who broke into the meeting was hit over the head with a pipe, police said.
Officers got to the fight as the three men were trying to leave.
Fabin Guzman, 18, was taken to Denver Health Medical Center with minor cuts. He was then arrested.
While officers were at the hospital, another suspect, Valdo Mendoza, 39, walked in with a severe head injury and also was taken into custody. Mendoza’s condition was unavailable late Wednesday, but police say he remains hospitalized.
Guzman and Mendoza face charges of investigation of aggravated assault, burglary and possessing drugs with the intent to sell.
Police know who the third man is but did not reveal his name because they were still searching for him Wednesday evening.
Police did not give a reason for the fight. One of the AA members said he had never seen the men before and that the assailants announced they were with the Sureños gang.
Staff writer Felisa Cardona can be reached at 303-820-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com.
