Celena Hollis

Twentieth anniversary of Denver's Summer of Violence and ten violent acts in summers since

On June 9, 1993 -- twenty years ago yesterday -- six-year-old Broderick Bell was hit by a random gunshot, kicking off what came to be known as Denver's Summer of Violence. As can be seen in this 2006 photo, Bell survived, but many others haven't during the summers that have followed, a number of whi ... More >>

4/20 shooting: Organizer Miguel Lopez injured, nearly trampled during chaos

We've been reporting about the shootings at the 4/20 Civic Center Park rally on Saturday, as well as the continuing search for a suspect caught on video. Watching developments closely is event organizer Miguel Lopez, who's having difficulty getting around the better part of two days since the start ... More >>

Rollin Oliver pleads guilty to second-degree murder in slaying of Officer Celena Hollis

Rollin Oliver pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Denver police officer Celena Hollis last June. The 22-year-old faces a sentence of sixteen to 26 years in prison according to the plea agreement, which is on view below. The original charge of first-degree murder/ext ... More >>

Celebrate the Rockies and Walt Weiss by drinking a Walt Weiss at Denver Beer Co

Denver Beer Co co-owner Charlie Berger loves baseball and he's come up with the perfect beer -- and beer name -- to celebrate the Colorado Rockies. The brewery will tap Walt Weiss (pronounced with a "v," German-style) at 10 a.m. on April 5, which is the team's home opener against the San Diego Padr ... More >>

Celena Hollis murder: Possible plea deal with suspect Rollin Oliver in death of Denver cop?

A plea deal in the case of Rollin Oliver, the 22-year-old charged with murder in the shooting death of Denver police officer Celena Hollis last June, may be in the works, according to a court document. "There is a possible disposition in this matter," notes the register of actions, which is a summ ... More >>

Flags are at half-mast in Colorado today...as they have been so often this year

Flags in Colorado will fly at half staff today, as they have been since December 14, to honor the children and adults who were killed in Newtown, Connecticut. They'll be raised again to their full height on Wednesday -- unless of course there is another tragedy, another senseless death in Colorado o ... More >>

Thirty most memorable mug shots -- and most shocking crimes -- of 2012

As we all know, Colorado has been shaken by some extraordinarily startling crimes in 2012 -- and they're reflected in the mug shots that accompanied our coverage of these stories. Below, we've assembled the images associated with the best known among them, as well as other tales that give us just as ... More >>

25 Denver homicides through September 2012: See where they happened

Denver homicides during 2012's first three-quarters dramatically declined as compared to last year, especially in the months of July, August and September. There were five during that three-month period -- the same number as took place during a single burst of violence at Fero's Bar & Grill on Wedne ... More >>

Photos: Top 25 mug shots of September 2012

As seen in our pictorial roundup below, September witnessed a slew of alternatively bizarre and startling crime stories -- and the images that accompanied them were just as memorable. Look below to see the faces of those accused in shootouts, standoffs and more (including the latest shot of Colorad ... More >>

Kim Cordova wins second term as president of UFCW Local 7 union

Kim Cordova, the former Safeway bakery clerk who defeated longtime union boss Ernie Duran in 2009, has won another term as president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7. Cordova's battle for the union's top spot was detailed in our cover story, "Flour Power." She promised to eradicat ... More >>

Pusher BMX has ten bikes stolen: Employees encounter alleged thieves -- twice

Earlier this month, thieves broke into a Denver bike shop at night and successfully stole ten BMX bikes, worth around $4,000 total. The owner of the Evans Avenue shop called Pusher BMX was pissed to discover the damage the next day. But that wasn't the worst moment of frustration. Since the break- ... More >>

Photos: East Side Peace March draws mayor, police chief, ex-gang members

Between the shooting of Denver police officer Celena Hollis and the death of twelve people at the Aurora theater massacre, it's been a particularly violent summer locally -- a fact that underscored an annual peace march over the weekend. Denver officials and community groups banded together Saturday ... More >>

Despite a tragic summer, Colorado is still the real sunshine state

Also read: Fifty latest reasons Colorado is the best state in the country

Deonte Crews, alleged gang member, busted for firing into group, hitting woman in back

Deonte Crews, an eighteen-year-old "self-admitted" gang member, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder for shooting into a group of people standing in a yard at 4490 North Dillon Street in Montbello on July 12. A probable cause statement on view below says Crews is a member of the Blood ... More >>

Michael Hancock picks the right setting for today's State of the City speech

Mayor Michael Hancock will deliver his State of the City address at 10 a.m. today, a year after he took office. The setting for the speech, City Park, was chosen over a month ago, but it symbolizes two of the major (and overlapping) challenges he'll face over the next three years:

Can new faces and a new structure bring discipline to the Denver Police Department?

Twenty Denver homicides in first half of 2012: See where they happened

As our Melanie Asmar reported earlier this week, gang murders are up in Denver. However, overall homicides in the first half of 2012 are down compared to the same point in 2011 according to figures compiled by the Denver coroner's office: twenty versus 24 through June of last year. Look below to see ... More >>

Gang violence by the numbers: Murders up, aggravated assaults down

This week's cover story, "Flash Point," details Denver's response to what many perceive as a recent rise in gang violence. According to the most up-to-date statistics from the Denver Police Department, six murders were linked to gang activity between January and May of this year. That's up from five ... More >>

Gang-related deaths are on the rise in Denver

Also read: Denver's plan to cool down gang violence

Denver's plan to cool down gang violence

Also read: Gang-related deaths are on the rise in Denver

Rollin Oliver, charged with murdering Celena Hollis, in court this morning

Gang violence is a hot topic in Denver this summer. This week's cover story, "Flash Point," details the city's plan for cooling it down. Denver has seen several high-profile shootings in the past few months, and there's been speculation that many are gang-related, including the death of Denver poli ... More >>

Rollin Oliver: First-degree murder/extreme indifference charge in Celena Hollis murder (12)

Update: Rollin Oliver, 21, was born on Christmas Day -- but what he just received from the Denver District Attorney's Office can't be considered an early gift. He's now been formally charged with first-degree murder/extreme indifference in the City Park slaying of Denver police officer Celena Holli ... More >>

Reader: Michael Hancock's spinning on gang violence inspires buyer's remorse

Last week, in a post by Sam Levin, Mayor Michael Hancock described as a distraction speculation that Denver police officer Celena Hollis's suspected murderer was a gang member. That's the sort of assertion guaranteed to spur conversation. Here's the response of a reader left dizzy by Hancock's appr ... More >>

Photos: Celena Hollis vigil brings hundreds to City Park Jazz

City Park was awash in purple yesterday evening as hundreds gathered in Celena Hollis's favorite color during a vigil for the fallen Denver police officer. Exactly one week after she was shot and killed in City Park, politicians, law enforcement and residents visited the same place to celebrate her ... More >>

Photos: Celena Hollis vigil marked by tears, resolve

Earlier today, Kelsey Whipple shared her account of City Park Jazz's tribute to Celena Hollis, the Denver police officer murdered at the event the previous week. Westword's Nathan Federico also attended, and he tells the story in vivid, often emotional photos featuring the likes of Denver Police Chi ... More >>

Celena Hollis to be honored with vigil, concert at this Sunday's City Park Jazz

This Sunday, City Park Jazz will honor fallen Denver police officer Celena Hollis with a silent vigil that starts on the west side of Ferril Lake at 5 p.m. The concert will begin at the bandstand at 6 p.m., and scheduled performers Lionel Young and his band will play some of Hollis's favorite songs. ... More >>

Nationals' Bryce Harper requests beer sales to be donated to Celena Hollis's family

Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper's infamous response to a question about his favorite beer has inspired numerous jokes and parodies over the past few weeks, not to mention his very own Denver beer, Clown Question, a Canadian lager-style beer brewed by Denver Beer Co. The name is based on the (tong ... More >>

Anti-police brutality protest postponed out of respect for Celena Hollis

In light of the death of Denver police officer Celena Hollis, the Colorado Progressive Coalition, ACLU of Colorado and others have postponed the "Summer Against Police Violence" protest. The rally, originally scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, would have fallen at the same time as Hollis's funeral se ... More >>

Fallen police officer Celena Hollis to be honored at Sunday's City Park Jazz

Denver police officer Celena Hollis, who was killed at last week's City Park jazz concert while trying to break up a fight, will be honored at this Sunday's concert. A silent vigil is scheduled for 5 p.m. on the west side of Ferril Lake; the concert will begin at 6 p.m., and Lionel Young and his ba ... More >>

Reader: Celena Hollis murder can't be blamed on the police

The murder of Denver Police officer Celena Hollis, and the arrest of Rollin Oliver, who self-identifies as a gang member, has sparked an ongoing conversation among our readers, some of whom blame the police for the environment that spawned this violent act. In contrast, here's the opinion of someone ... More >>

Celena Hollis: Sunday fundraiser to benefit her daughter, twelve

In the days since Denver police officer Celena Hollis was shot and killed while breaking up a fight during City Park Jazz, the DPD and the community have gathered together for an outpouring of local support. On Sunday, the day after Hollis's public funeral, state representative Angela Williams and c ... More >>

Celena Hollis murder: Michael Hancock says gang speculation a distraction

Since Denver cop Celena Hollis was shot and killed over the weekend, there has been a lot of speculation concerning the possible gang-affiliation of the suspect -- but according to Mayor Michael Hancock, reporters are asking the wrong questions. In this case, the gang question, Hancock told Westword ... More >>

Rollin Oliver, busted in Denver cop Celena Hollis's murder, reportedly a gang member (12)

Update: More information is emerging about Rollin Oliver, the man arrested following the fatal shooting of Denver Police officer Celena Hollis after a jazz event at City Park on Sunday night -- including increasingly solid reports establishing his gang affiliation. Not that this link offers much com ... More >>

East Ohio Avenue murder is fourth Aurora homicide in a month (13)

As Denverites worry about increasing gang violence in the wake of Denver Police officer Celena Hollis's murder, Aurora is in the midst of a veritable homicide spree, with at least four slayings since Memorial Day weekend -- and none of them has generated an arrest thus far. The latest involves the k ... More >>