And now, Shaun Tobelmann could be sentenced to more than 100 years behind bars after being found guilty of attempted murder times seven and more.
We've got the details about a bizarre police standoff in downtown Denver, as well as Tobelmann's attack on his then-girlfriend, which appears to have set the strange incident in motion.
Continue for photos, video and a probable-cause statement that details a spree that briefly paralyzed a sizable portion of the city.
Early on a very snowy February 21, 2013, as we reported at the time, officers received a 911 call from an unnamed woman described as the "intimate live-in girlfriend" of Tobelmann.
She said that in the midst of an argument at their apartment, located at 1196 Grant Street,, he had broken her cell phone, damaged her jewelry, pushed her and punched her in the face, bloodying her nose.
She added that Tobelmann had been drinking and had threatened to kill himself.
His whereabouts at the time of the call? The bedroom, where he was armed with at least one gun.
And she made it clear to the dispatcher that this weapon might not be the only one at his disposal.
Cops arrived around 2:09 a.m., then headed to the apartment.
As an officer was trying to make contact with Tobelmann through the door, he heard a gunshot inside.
That prompted the personnel on scene to set up a containment perimeter as they continued their attempts to communicate with Tobelmann — a conversation that was punctuated by numerous additional shots.
These bangs and booms brought out even more cops, at whom Tobelmann randomly fired.
One line from the police report puts the situation bluntly: "During this event, Tobelmann attempted to murder eight uniformed Denver Police Officers."
Based on the subsequent charges, the math apparently changed — and it would change later, too. But the danger comes across clearly.
For instance, the statement describes three officers taking up positions in a parking lot across Grant, where they could see Tobelmann "taking aimed, directed-fire shots with a long gun" at them.
The report continues: "They heard bullets fly past them at close distance and rounds were impacting their immediate vicinity. The officers were in fear for their lives."
One attempt to force surrender involved a trio of SWAT officers entering the fifth floor hallway of the apartment building, with one of them firing "a 40 mm, less-than lethal round through the balcony window" as his partners provided cover.
Tobelmann allegedly responded by shooting through a window at the officers using a shotgun.
The cops were peppered with pellets and glass fragments, with one being struck in the face and another getting hit in the upper arm. Tobelmann is also said to have fired his shotgun through his apartment door, spraying another three cops with pellets, fragments and debris.
It took until 6:02 a.m. for police to successfully take Tobelmann into custody.
Afterward, officers discovered his arsenal: two handguns, a shotgun and a duffel bag full of ammo.
The official charges leveled against him by the Denver District Attorney's Office a week or so after the event included eleven counts of attempted first-degree murder, a like number related to first-degree assault, and one count each of third-degree assault and failure to leave a premises upon a request by a peace officer.
In the end, the jury rendered guilty verdicts on a lower number of charges: seven counts each of attempted murder and first-degree assault on a peace officer, plus one count of third-degree assault and 23 unlawful-discharge-of-a-firearm beefs.
By the way, the DA's office notes that DPD officers didn't fire a single round amid the incident (other than the less-than-lethal one), even though plenty came their way.
The sentencing date for Tobelmann has been set for May 8. he could receive more than a century in prison.
Look below to see a CBS4 report, followed by the probable cause statement.
Shaun Tobelmann Arrest Affidavit
Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.
