DENVER (KDVR) — Racial tensions are at boiling point across the nation. Businesses in Denver’s historic black neighborhood say the tension spilled over onto their doorsteps this week.

One owner in historic Five Points is uneasy after he said someone made an unprovoked threat towards his business and the people who frequent it.

While he was out of town on Monday, owner of Coffee at the Point, Ryan Cobbins said his workers received a brazen phone call.

“We had a guy that called the shop, speak to one of our staff folks and said that he had guns pointed at the coffee shop and was going to kill all the [n-words] in the shop,” said Cobbins. “I remember back in the day, if you were to call a girlfriend or a boyfriend, you would block your number just to hear their voice and hang up. This guy didn’t even block his number.”

Cobbins said his staff called the police then called him. After that, he returned the call to the man.
“I called him and I knew he was a little bit off because he said, ‘all Democrats need to die. Trump is our president. He’s the best president ever.’”

We called the man who allegedly called the shop but he did not answer us.

Cobbins said he doesn’t know why his business was targeted as he tries to keep the shop apolitical. He decided to come forward with his story because he wants people to know what is happening elsewhere in the nation is having an impact here.

“People tend to think that if they don’t see racism, if we don’t see these negative things that happen, they just don’t exist. And they definitely exist,” said Cobbins.

Cobbins said he’s thankful to DPD for working on this case and he just hopes it gets resolved quickly.