DENVER (KDVR) — Renaissance Uptown Lofts resident Dorothy Teitz says she’ll never forget the night of May 30, 2020.

“I saw the whole thing because I watched it from my window,” Tietz said.

Problem Solvers obtained a complaint filed with the City’s Excise and Licensing Department against a guard hired to protect her building that night.

“He threw something in the middle of the street and it blew up. The fire department had to come,” she said.

Documents claim licensed security guard Tyler Barrett threw an “OC” grenade that night. In the complaint, police tell the City’s licensing department the grenade detonated in a group of protesters across the street and at the time, there were no further interactions between the protesters and the security guards present. The act prompted an “immediate” and “violent” response, according to police, including an angry crowd throwing rocks at guards and windshields, lighting a car on fire, and a protester charging at Barrett. The documents also state Barrett later pointed, drew and aimed his gun at the crowd.

“That’s why I put in an application to get out of here, because I was scared,” Teitz said. 

“We take action when we believe someone has violated the terms of their license or violated the rules,” Excise and Licenses Director of Communications Eric Escudero said. 

Escudero tells the FOX31 Problem Solvers Barrett is now in the process of settling with the city over what happened on May 30. He was ordered to show cause for why he should or shouldn’t keep his license. Details of this settlement have not been released and are currently under review. 

In 2019, the City settled seven cases with security guards. In these cases, guards surrendered their licenses, had them revoked or suspended, or had conditions placed on their licenses.

“It’s only a last-case resort where they would actually use any type of force against an individual, because that’s really not their purpose,” Escudero said, adding, “Their purpose is to be the eyes to serve as a deterrent.”

An attorney representing Helix Technologies, the company who hired Barrett that night, shared the following statement with Problem Solvers:

“The allegations in the Show Cause Order are solely related to the actions of a security guard that was fired from Helix shortly after Helix became aware of his actions. Helix no longer operates a security guard business and is in the process of resolving the Show Cause Order with the City of Denver. Helix has no further comment at this time.”

Problem Solvers reached out to Barrett several times to talk, but have not received a response.

There are currently more than 5,700 guards legally working as security guards in the City and County of Denver, completing days of training each year.