DENVER—Police searched for clues and asked for the public’s help Monday to solve a weekend shooting outside a nightclub that left one person dead and seven injured.
Ted Padilla, 25, was killed in the early Sunday shooting, said his cousin, Dale Sasse. One of the wounded was identified by Steve Mestas as his 22-year-old son Lyle Mestas. Steve Mestas said his son was in serious condition with four bullet wounds.
The shooting took place outside the Hush nightclub in the popular LoDo district. Police have released few details.
Sasse said he was driving to the club after the 2 a.m. closing to pick up friends when he saw someone in a group of about 15 people on foot open fire.
Before the shooting, a “group of thugs began saying mean things to Ted about his jewelry” and the club’s management kicked that group out, Sasse said.
Steve Mestas said his son’s friends said someone in another group began firing on them when they left the club.
Police asked witnesses to come forward with any detail, “no matter how small or insignificant it might seem.”
“A small detail maybe a critical piece of information needed to solve this case,” spokesman Sonny Jackson said in a release.
Police said they were looking for information about two pickups possibly connected to the shooting, but they had only sketchy descriptions. Both were described as American-made, full-size and possibly Fords. One was green or gray “with some type of molding” and clear windows. The other had tinted windows, was burnt orange or maroon and had “noisy brakes.”
The second vehicle’s license plate had 17 as the second and third numerals.
