Yesterday, a homeless shelter called the Lawrence Street Community Center opened with a great deal of hoopla, including an appearance by Denver mayor Michael Hancock, after months of wrangling between the Denver Rescue Mission and the Ballpark Neighborhood Association.
But less than 24 hours later, attention has shifted to another shelter — the St. Francis Center, at 2323 Curtis Street — for a far more troubling reason.
A man was shot four times outside the shelter early this morning.
He's expected to survive his wounds — but police believe he was targeted for the attack.
The St. Francis Center's Facebook page, which features this profile pic....
...is a relentlessly upbeat Internet destination.
Recent posts include prayers for the people of France following the terrorist attacks there, a thank-you to a local Episcopal church for a fundraiser, and news about the installation of a new sewer line that will make staying at the center more pleasant for clients.
Unfortunately, gunfire reportedly shattered the usual positivity surrounding the facility at around 3 a.m. today, November 24.
Among the members of the news media tweeting images from the scene were CBS4's Shawn Chitnis....
Denver Police on scene near Park and Curtis. One person shot. Waiting for more details. #CBS4Mornings pic.twitter.com/1nNJwDK1ka
— Shawn Chitnis (@shawnchitnis) November 24, 2015DPD officer on scene says homeless man shot 4 times near shelter on Curtis & Park. He's stable. No suspect info pic.twitter.com/HdLHBwFYWT
— Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) November 24, 2015A moment later, an occupant of the ride pointed a gun at the man and opened fire.
These actions lead investigators to believe that the shooting was not a random event.
At this point, no suspect or vehicle information has been released — but it's very early in the investigation. As of a short time ago, some of the man's belongings remained on the sidewalk outside the center.
Look below to see a 7News report about the latest developments.
