Police are searching for a pair of suspects after a robbery turned deadly Monday night at a Denver auto parts store.
Denver Police Department spokesman Sonny Jackson said the first call came in around 9:15 p.m. about a robbery in progress at the O’Reilly Auto Parts store, located at 5125 N. Chambers Road.
Police were en route to the store when they got a second report of shots fired, Jackson said.
Two masked men, it appears, entered the store and tried to rob it. Jackson said the victim was apparently trying to flee the store and was shot once outside the store.
The victim, a young man who worked at the auto parts store as a clerk, was rushed to University Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
He was identified today by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner as 22-year-old Pablo Delrio Jr.
“He was just such a great guy. He was smart, I was proud of him. He had his mind on track. He worked really hard,” said Rodolfo Del Rio, the victim’s cousin.
Del Rio’s family gathered around Pablo’s car, which was still in the auto parts store parking lot this morning. Pablo’s father was clearly emotional.
Rodolfo said his cousin grew up in Montbello, had a daughter and just moved into his own apartment a couple months ago.
“It’s such a tragic event for everyone,” Charlie Butler, a regional manager for O’Reilly Auto Parts, said. “Right now our thoughts and prayers are with the family members affected.”
Jackson said police do not have a description of the suspects or a suspect vehicle. They are working to see if there is any surveillance video that could assist with the investigation.
Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794 or jsteffen@denverpost.com
