Authorities in the 1700 block of Federal Boulevard at 1:22 a.m. A man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said, while a woman was taken to the hospital with injuries. She is expected to survive.

Police said the incident “appears to have started out of a verbal argument that escalated to a shooting.”

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

A large group of protesters gathered at the park at noon, and between 12:45 p.m. and 2 p.m., five fights happened among the group, according to Doug Schepman, a Denver police spokesperson.

Student protesters had planned to gather at the Denver park as part of an “ICE Out” protest and school walkout organized by several advocacy groups, including the Colorado Youth Coalition and 50501 Colorado.

In addition to the three people taken to the hospital, one person was medically evaluated at the scene, and another left the area before officers could contact them. Police did not know how severely any of the five were injured.

Officers contacted or identified several suspects in the reported assaults, Schepman said. He did not say whether any of the suspects had been cited or arrested.

“It is important to note that this was an unpermitted demonstration organized without a safety plan, which contributed to an unsafe environment for participants,” Schepman wrote in an email.

Police declined to provide additional information, citing the ongoing investigations.

The driver, 18, told police that the shooter, identified by law enforcement as 23-year-old Lino Sandoval, nearly hit his Toyota Corolla while weaving, according to a copy of Sandoval’s arrest affidavit.

He flashed his headlights at the Chevrolet Traverse, and his two passengers may have verbally insulted Sandoval or made obscene gestures for the near-miss, the driver told investigators.

That set off a chain of events that started with Sandoval chasing the Toyota and ended with one of the passengers shot in the backseat, police said in the affidavit.

When the first gunshots rang out, the front-seat passenger ducked down to the floor to shield himself, according to the affidavit. He turned to get his phone from the passenger in the back to call 911, but found him slumped over and bleeding, police said.

Denver officers responded to the shooting near West 17th Street and Federal Boulevard shortly after 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 21. The driver told dispatchers that someone was chasing their car and shooting at them.

Police believe the victim killed in the shooting, who has not yet been publicly identified, was shot in the head when bullets shattered the Toyota’s back window, according to the affidavit. He died four days later, on Aug. 25, police said.

The Chevrolet driver continued shooting at the Toyota until the Toyota driver was able to wave at a police officer for help, according to the affidavit. The officer chased the Chevrolet, allowing the Toyota to get to the hospital without being followed, police said.

Investigators used surveillance video, including from Denver’s Axon and Aurora’s Flock cameras, to track the car and ultimately traced it to Sandoval, according to the affidavit.

The man was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, but has not yet been charged, Denver court records show.

But just like their human counterparts, sometimes they misbehave.

“We have been ticketed and pay them like any other driver,” Waymo spokesman Chris Bonelli said.

But that won’t be the case in Colorado.

“If there’s no driver, there currently isn’t a mechanism within state law for issuing a citation,” a Denver Police Department spokesperson said in an email.

A Denver police training bulletin sent out in early July, and obtained by BusinessDen, details how officers are supposed to handle the vehicles when no one is behind the wheel.

“Waymo vehicles are designed to safely pull over when they detect a police or emergency vehicle behind them with activated lights. Once stopped, the vehicle will remain stationary for the duration of the contact,” the memo reads. “After stopping, the vehicle will unlock its doors and lower its windows so a Waymo representative can communicate directly with the officer.”

Officers can also use QR codes on the driver/passenger windows or the dispatch button on the center console to reach a Waymo representative.

“Autonomous vehicles may experience technical issues that cause erratic or unresponsive behavior,” the memo reads, telling officers they should notify their supervisor and contact Waymo to disable the vehicle.

The memo also says that Waymo fires could release toxic vapors and officers are prohibited from attempting to extinguish them unless “essential for immediate life-saving rescue.”

Copies of the car’s registration, insurance and owner information are stored in the sun visors, according to the memo. In the event of a crash, officers are instructed to leave the driver information section of their report blank. There is a separate box to report a vehicle as being self-driving.

A search warrant is required to obtain data such as passenger history and interior camera footage, which the memo says is otherwise deleted after 24 hours.

Waymo has dozens of cars in Denver and will add more, according to Bonelli. The company has been testing its vehicles with drivers and then without passengers for months.

Waymo has been involved in one local crash, last week along Eighth Avenue near Denver Health. The vehicle was rear-ended and was not at fault, police told Westword.

“We report all qualifying collisions, regardless of fault, to NHTSA under its Standing General Order, which are publicly available. To lead the industry in transparency, we also publicly share our safety data and make it fully available and replicable for researchers,” Bonelli said.

Read more from our partner, .

Denver officers first responded to the at 9:09 a.m. Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for the police department. Paramedics took three people to the hospital, where one man later died, police said.

The man killed in the shooting will be identified by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner, the spokesperson said. The two other victims, an unidentified boy and woman, are expected to survive.

Investigators believe the shooting was a “family-related incident,” the police spokesperson said. No additional information about the events leading up to the shooting was available.

As of Wednesday morning, no suspects had been publicly identified or arrested.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Lino Sandoval, 23, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, according to Denver inmate records. As of Tuesday morning, Sandoval was being held without bail at Denver’s Downtown Detention Center, .

Sandoval’s arrest stems from an Aug. 21 shooting on the edge of Denver’s West Colfax neighborhood, near Federal Boulevard and West 17th Avenue, according to a from the Denver Police Department.

Shortly after 11:30 p.m. that night, a 911 caller told dispatchers that someone was chasing and shooting at their car while they were driving, police said.

A passenger inside the car was shot, police said. The driver took the victim to the hospital, where he died several days later, according to the department.

Cameras in the area of the shooting captured a white SUV following the victims’ car in Lakewood, near West Sixth Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard, police said. That’s roughly 3 miles away from where the shooting happened.

Police used the video to identify Sandoval as the driver, according to the release. He was arrested on Friday, a week after the shooting, court records show.

Sandoval is next scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning for a review hearing, according to Denver court records.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

City officials forced Olympus Discotheque, a nightclub at 2036 N. Broadway, to close earlier this month after an unlicensed security guard was accused of holding an 18-year-old woman at gunpoint inside the club and sexually assaulting her in an hour-long attack after the club closed for the night on July 18.

In addition to that incident, the bar allowed an underage police cadet into the club and sold the cadet three alcoholic drinks, the city alleged.

The club will be allowed to reopen as long as its owner, Wuilmer Varela Cardoza, pays a $2,000 fine and implements new safety measures upon reopening, according to the agreement.

He committed to employing at least two licensed security guards or off-duty police officers when the club is open between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m., and three such guards when the club’s basement bar is open, according to the agreement.

On weekend nights, the guards will pat down incoming patrons and use handheld metal detectors to sweep for weapons, according to the agreement. Carodoza will be required to periodically ensure the guards’ licenses remain up-to-date.

Cardoza also agreed to install additional security cameras, keep the club well lit and ensure that all customers leave by 2:15 a.m., among several other conditions. The nightclub could face a doubled fine and a 60-day closure if Cardoza does not meet the conditions of the agreement, the documents show.

Summary suspensions like the one brought against Olympus Discotheque are an emergency measure designed as a response to immediate threats to people’s health and safety, and are historically rare.

The city has issued three summary suspensions this year, however, including one for a southeast Denver nightclub after a shooting at the bar left one man dead and wounded another eight people.

The woman reached for anything she could use to defend herself and found a screwdriver, which she plunged into her boyfriend’s face, according to court records. He let go, and she ran out of their home, flagging down a passing driver for help.

The case is one of the nearly 60% of Denver’s ongoing felony domestic violence cases that involve strangulation — an act that greatly increases the risk that a victim of domestic violence will be killed and should raise immediate red flags for first responders, police officers and healthcare workers.

Strangulation often is missed or overlooked. The survivor may have no visible injuries or may not mention strangulation in light of other acts of domestic violence. That can mean authorities miss key opportunities to intervene before domestic violence situations turn fatal.

Denver leaders hope to change that through a new, citywide approach to strangulation cases that is designed to help professionals — including police officers, paramedics and healthcare workers — recognize and respond to strangulation cases thoroughly and consistently.

“This is a hidden epidemic,” Denver District Attorney John Walsh said at a news conference at the Rose Andom Center on Tuesday, when city leaders announced the new approach. “And that’s why we are here today.”

Thirteen city leaders committed their agencies to principles detailed in a newly developed , a 39-page document that lays out best practices for various professionals to follow when responding to survivors of strangulation.

The hope is that the new approach will ensure authorities recognize the seriousness of strangulation, respond with appropriate urgency and maintain a consistent approach across professions, said Whitney Woods, executive director of the Rose Andom Center, a Denver nonprofit that supports survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Leaders at Denver Health, Denver 911 and the city’s police fire and safety departments each committed to following the new approach, as well as leaders at several victim advocacy organizations.

Domestic violence spiked in Denver in 2024 and has leveled off since, according to police and prosecution data. Denver police reported 7,660 domestic violence incidents in 2025, which was up about 3% from 2024 and up 46% from 2019, said Amanda Blevins, advancement director at the Rose Andom Center.

The district attorney’s office handled 211 felony domestic violence cases involving strangulation in 2023, 448 in 2024 and 411 in 2025. So far this year, the office has pursued 190 such cases, spokesman Matt Jablow said.

Strangulation occurs when one person restricts another person’s breathing by applying pressure to their neck. An attacker can use their hands or objects to cut off air flow.

When a victim is strangled by their partner, that victim is 7.5 times more likely to be killed by their partner than domestic violence victims who were not strangled, according to the protocol.

“A call that looks minor may be the most serious warning that we ever get in these scenarios,” Denver police Cmdr. Matt Clark said.

The protocol was developed with funding from a from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women awarded to the Rose Andom Center in 2022.

The new approach in Denver comes months after Colorado legislators mandated that all police officers use a to screen victims of domestic violence and immediately connect people flagged as high-risk to additional help.

The new law, signed in June, will require law enforcement officers to run through a 12-question checklist with victims of domestic violence beginning July 1, 2027.

The crash happened at 1:48 a.m. near 48th Avenue and Kalamath Street when a dark-colored Chevrolet Silverado hit a pedestrian, the Denver Police Department said in a Medina Alert.

The truck is believed to be a 2003-2007 model with Colorado license plates and a gray cab, black truck bed, blue tailgate and mismatched wheels on the driver’s side.

Investigators say the driver was a white or Hispanic male between 25 years old and 30 years old with dark hair.

Anyone with information about the crash or whereabouts of the Chevy should call 911 or the Denver Police Department at 720-913-2000.

ACTIVATION:
Denver PD – On 08/22/2026 at about 1:48AM a 2003-2007 Chevrolet Silverado was involved in a hit and run accident of a pedestrian that resulted in serious bodily injury.
If seen, please call 9-1-1 or the Denver Police Department at 720-913-2000

— CBI (@CBI_Colorado)

I was among the first people in Denver — aside from the company’s employees — invited to climb into one of Waymo’s cornflower-blue autonomous vans for a jaunt from Alamo Placita Park to loop around Washington Park and back.

The general public will soon be able to hail driverless Waymos through an app on their phone, although two representatives of the California-based company declined to say exactly when the driverless ride-hailing service will officially launch in Denver.

But on Wednesday, Chris Bonelli, Waymo’s product communications manager, summoned one of the all-electric, custom robotaxis to the flowering neighborhood park not far from Cherry Creek to demonstrate the technology to the press.

“We are doing our final validation of the service quality, safety metrics and other operational preparedness now, and look forward to welcoming public riders soon,” Bonelli said.

The company has been testing the vehicles on Denver streets since last year. State lawmakers approved the use of autonomous vehicles on Colorado roads in 2017 as long as they follow traffic rules. Local governments in Colorado are also barred from prohibiting autonomous vehicles.

Waymos, which originated in 2009 as a Google self-driving car project, are outfitted with all kinds of technological marvels: artificial intelligence, high-resolution cameras, advanced imaging radar and high-tech lasers to allow for rapid 3D mapping.

For a fun first impression, riders can customize their Waymo to display their initials on an LED screen atop the car, Bonelli said. Visually impaired riders can request a specific jingle play when the van pulls up so they know they’re getting into the right vehicle. Doors are outfitted with braille and service animals are welcome.

The sixth-generation minivan rolling out in Denver was built with snowy weather in mind, Bonelli said. The vehicle lacks cavities where ice and snow could get trapped, he said.

It was hard to imagine snow on the hot and sunny Wednesday morning, but Bonelli pointed out teeny windshield wipers with exterior sensors to wipe away anything that could block the view of critical equipment. Heaters on the outside of the vehicle melt away snowflakes. While it’s front-wheel drive, Bonelli said the van has “very good” traction control due to its hefty weight and an ability to react quickly and precisely in the event of sliding on icy roads.

Waymo operates a commercial fleet of more than 3,500 vehicles across 11 cities — Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Dallas; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; Nashville, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; Phoenix; San Antonio; and the San Francisco Bay Area — and is laying the groundwork to launch in at least 20 more cities across the globe.

The company representatives said there are “dozens” of Waymo vehicles zipping around Denver right now, but would not specify how many. As the user base grows, Bonelli said Waymo will scale up the number of vehicles until there are “hundreds” serving the city.

Prices will compare to other ride-hailing services, Bonelli said, and could change based on demand.

On the road

With the push of a button, the van’s doors parted like an elevator.

I took too long asking Bonelli questions before closing the van’s doors, prompting the disembodied voice of a real human to boom into the vehicle and ask whether we were OK.

Bonelli, who said this was a safety check-in, assured the voice we were doing a ride demonstration and provided his email address as clearance. I buckled my seatbelt, pushed a button in the car telling it to get moving and off we went.

Users can control features — temperature, lighting, seat configuration and music — both in the app and the vehicle, through multiple touchscreens inside the van. Passengers can connect to their Spotify accounts or find tunes through a selection of music platforms.

The vehicles were recently connected to the Gemini AI platform, Bonelli said. Passengers thirsty for knowledge could prompt the robot du jour to recite when Colorado became a state — Aug. 1, 1876 — or riders thirsty for caffeine could ask for a list of nearby coffee shops. The van answered those questions, although it did take a couple of tries to produce results, as Bonelli reminded me it’s still in beta testing.

Our first test of operations came quickly at Third Avenue and Corona Street, where construction work, cones and a man holding a “stop” and “slow” sign filled the intersection. The van navigated it with ease as Bonelli explained the driving technology contains “gesture-detection” to follow the instructions of people outside. The van can identify and follow street signs telling the car to stop or slow, he said.

Passengers watch their route unfold on GPS-like animated screens in front of them that offer insight into how the vehicle sees the world. For example, the screen showed the dimensions of vehicles around the van, and whether there were obstructions in the road that it detected.

For other drivers on Denver’s streets, the distinct Waymo van proved to be a distraction.

People in surrounding cars gawked, waved and, in one instance, rolled down their windows to shout something that went unheard, as Bonelli explained that the van had internal cameras that were always on but not always being watched.

The cameras were there to make sure there was no funny business, Bonelli said, such as more than four passengers in a car.

Getting stuck

Denverites have , particularly along East Colfax Avenue, where BRT construction makes for confusing commuting even for corporeal drivers.

If a Waymo gets stuck, Bonelli said the vehicle is never remotely controlled. Instead, remote employees could provide the car with more information to help the technology decide how to proceed. For example, a remote roadside assistance employee could see where the Waymo got stuck and tell it that the right lane is open. In an emergency situation, an in-the-flesh roadside assistance team is also available, Bonelli said.

Waymos have been in other cities. But the vehicles have been in 16 times fewer serious-injury crashes, 5.6 times fewer crashes with airbag deployment and 14 times fewer crashes with injuries to pedestrians compared to human drivers across 220 million rider-only miles.

Waymo has been creating high-definition maps of Denver since September of last year with regular drivers behind the wheels of the vehicles, teaching the cars the law of the land. In Denver, that meant figuring out one-way streets and hills, Bonelli said.

Earlier this summer, the company began fully autonomous testing. Now, only Waymo employees are allowed in the driverless cars, but those eager to commute sans driver can pull up the app to get on a waiting list to be among the first public users.

Wednesday’s ride went smoothly, or as smoothly as anyone’s first time sitting in the back seat of a vehicle watching a steering wheel toggle itself back and forth.

I wondered how long it would take for a news report on a journalist’s first time in a driverless vehicle to feel silly and outdated, like reading about someone describing using the internet for the first time.

In 2026, the debate of how much of yourself to surrender to technology abounds. We do not yet have flying cars, but we have artificial intelligence that can write essays and emails and computer programs — and soon, drive us around Denver (within a 50-mile radius for the time being).

After the Gemini AI inside the Waymo listed several local coffee shops to tickle riders’ fancies, Bonelli thanked the robot for its service.

“I always say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to AI,” Bonelli said. “We have to prepare for our potential future. That’s why every time I leave a Waymo, I say ‘thank you’ and give it a little pat.”

On my way out of the van — which delivered me back to Alamo Placita Park wholly intact, if not a little dazed — I patted my Waymo and whispered “thank you.”

I was assured the internal microphone built into the cabin picked it up just fine.