DENVER (KDVR) — The FBI office in Denver said Sunday there is no reason to believe the Maven Hotel incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game.
Although police sources did confirm to FOX31 they found 16 long guns, body armor and more than 1,000 rounds of ammo at the scene, FBI Denver tweeted that they are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players or the community at this time.
“As is the case w/major special events, the FBI works closely with our law enforcement partners in preparation for & in support of public safety during these events. We continue to encourage the public to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement,” FBI Denver said.
ORIGINAL: The Denver Police Department says a suspicious situation involving illegal guns near Coors Field is still under investigation but doesn’t appear to be related to All-Star Week events.
Guests at the Maven Hotel on Wazee Street came home to a massive police and SWAT presence at their hotel Friday night.
“Once I got up to my room the hotel phone started ringing,” hotel guest Drake Voell said. “I answered, and they said for everyone to stay in their room because there was a situation. I asked what was going on and they said there was just a few people that were up to no good on the fourth and the eighth floor.”
On Saturday, DPD reported that three men and one woman were arrested in connection to the investigation on charges related to illegal possession of firearms.
Richard Platt, 42, Gabriel Rodriguez, 48, and Ricardo Rodriguez, 44, were arrested on the investigation of possession of a weapon by a previous offender.
Platt and Rodriguez are also facing charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Platt also had a warrant from another jurisdiction.
Forty-three-year-old Kanoelehua Serikawa is being investigated for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and had a warrant from another jurisdiction.
Voell said his grandma was staying on the fourth floor, two doors down from the room investigated. His grandmother asked what was going on.
“They said they heard a maid walked into the hotel room and she saw a bunch of guns laid out,” Voell said. “Then they found a white SUV on the road and all doors were unlocked and there was a laptop on the dashboard open, so it was a very suspicious vehicle.”
A tip from the public led to the arrests, and DPD said they searched two rooms and impounded two vehicles as part of the investigation. Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) also are assisting DPD with the investigation.
“That incident was solely managed by police because we are so ready for things like that,” Loa Esquilin, public information officer for Denver Office of Emergency Management said.
Esquilin is part of the emergency operations center launched for All-Star Week. She says the fact that their operation center didn’t have to get involved with last night’s incident speaks volumes.
“This shows that they have it together,” Esquilin said.
Esquilin says the emergency operations center has 100 plus people on standby too, including the FBI, observing and ready to respond.
“We already have shelters identified, call centers active, it’s all standing by if it does escalate, or if an incident like yesterday escalates to a bigger point where an agency is overwhelmed, we have the resources to help,” Esquilin said.
“I feel pretty safe, I feel like they definitely have it under control,” Voell said.
DPD officials say the department adjusted officer staffing to have ample resources around All-Star Week events.