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Person dead in shootout at 18th and Market Streets in LoDo; No suspect in custody

At least 16 cars struck early Saturday, police say
Posted at 7:58 AM, Jul 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-31 14:51:06-04

DENVER -- A shooting in Lower Downtown left one man dead and a second person wounded early Saturday.

Denver police officers were called to 18th and Market Streets shortly after midnight on a reports of shots fired. One man was dead at the scene when they arrived, police told Denver7's Amanda del Castillo.

Shortly after 7:30 a.m. an official with the Denver Police Department tweeted the second shooting victim was expected to survive.

There was an exchange of gunfire which involved a rifle, an officer at the scene told del Castillo. At least 16 vehicles were struck in the shootout, the officer added.

“It appears that we might have several people that had exchanged gunfire at this location,” said Doug Schepman, a Denver Police Department spokesman.

Police believe the two victims knew each other and were together at the time of the shooting. 

Car owners were still waiting to return to their cars Saturday morning -- some waiting since 2 a.m., when the nearby bars and restaurants let out.

Heleena Naswain's car was hit by bullets in the gunfight. Saturday morning, police told Naswain her engine was fine, but her car was hit ten times. 

Naswain's car was just one of the reported 16 that were hit by the gunfire that ultimately killed one man and injured another. 

A Denver couple was passing the scene on pedi-cab Friday night when the shots rang out. 

"We were going up Market. We turned left on 19th and it seemed like right when we were on that corner is when the gunfire started going off," said Tiffany Meador. She and her fiancé are new to the Denver-area, moving here from Los Angeles, Calif., in February. 

Meador said she grabbed her fiancé's head and ducked down, and the pedi-cab driver was pedalling as quickly as he could. 
 
"In order to not jeopardize the investigation, we don’t have suspect information to release at this time," Schepman said Saturday afternoon.
 
Investigators were working to determine if the shooting was gang-related.
 

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