A 73-year-old man in town for a model train convention was shot Tuesday morning during a home invasion robbery at a Westminster house that also was a marijuana and hash operation.
Police were called to the shooting at 3 a.m. at the home on the 7400 block of Julian Street.
The man told police that he was asleep when two mask-wearing men broke into the house and woke him up, according to a news release from the Westminster Police Department.
The man is undergoing surgery but is expected to survive his injuries, the news release said.
The man lives in Texas, and he told police he was staying with friends so he could attend the Rocky Mountain Train Show last weekend at Denver Mart.
Officers found a large marijuana grow and a hash operation while investigating the shooting. That is the suspected motive for the robbery and shooting, the news release said.
The 73-year-old did not try to confront the robbers, said Cheri Spottke, a Westminster police spokeswoman.
The marijuana and hash operation remains under investigation, Spottke said.
The Westminster Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the robbery suspects. Anyone with tips should call Crime Stoppers at (720) 913-7867.
Noelle Phillips: 303-954-1661, nphillips@denverpost.com or @Noelle_Phillips
