Denver man survives shooting, seeks good samaritan
A Denver man is desperately seeking the stranger who may have saved his life after a brazen shooting in the city’s Central Business District late Friday. The incident, which occurred just after midnight Saturday near 18th Street and Stout Street, left the victim with a gunshot wound to the neck and sparked a frantic search for the assailant, now identified as 31-year-old Anthony Apodaca.
A night out turns violent
According to the victim's account to CBS News Colorado, his evening began innocently enough – attending the Santa Fe Artwalk before intending to meet friends. He opted for a scooter ride, taking a “scenic route” down Stout Street. What unfolded next was anything but picturesque. Apodaca, reportedly in a white Chevrolet SUV with several occupants, was allegedly yelling at passersby near 16th Street. The victim stated that Apodaca threatened him, promising to “find” and “kill” him before abruptly returning to the vehicle.
The situation escalated dramatically at the intersection of 18th and Stout. Police records indicate Apodaca allegedly began shouting again before leaning out of the SUV’s window and firing a shot that struck the victim in the neck. The bullet, miraculously, exited through his shoulder blade, narrowly missing a major artery, doctors later confirmed.
The immediate aftermath was a blur of pain and disorientation. The victim, unable to use his right arm and with his phone submerged in blood, desperately sought help. A nearby Tesla pulled up to the red light; hope surged, but vanished as the occupants rolled up the window and sped away, leaving him bleeding on the pavement.
He remembers losing consciousness and awakening to the touch of an unidentified man, believed to be experiencing homelessness, who applied pressure to the wound and called 911. “I think he saved my life,” the victim admitted, “because if nobody had held pressure on my neck, I was just a couple of minutes away from dying.”
Legal repercussions and the search for justice
Apodaca now faces charges of attempted first-degree murder and has been released on a $75,000 bond, a decision the victim described as “a slap in the face.” The Denver District Attorney’s Office initially requested a $100,000 cash-only bond, but the judge opted for a lower amount with stipulations including home confinement, GPS monitoring, and relinquishment of firearms.
While colleagues and friends have offered support, and he's connected with other shooting survivors, the victim’s primary focus remains finding the man who provided that crucial first aid. He is appealing to the public for any footage or information related to the shooting, hoping to bring closure and, perhaps, offer his gratitude to the individual who offered a lifeline in a moment of unimaginable danger. The road to recovery will be long, both physically and emotionally, but the glimmer of hope provided by a stranger’s compassion underscores the enduring power of human connection, even amidst the chaos of urban violence.