Denver Sees Surge Of Gun Violence In 2020: Police

DENVER, CO — Denver has seen a spike in gun violence so far in 2020, police said.

Between Jan. 1 and July 12, 33 people had been fatally shot in the city, compared to 22 during the same timeframe in 2019 — a 50 percent increase, the Denver Police Department said. As of July 12, 85 people had been shot this year, compared to 61 last year — a 39 percent increase.

Through June 30, the police department seized or recovered 823 guns, a nearly 11 percent increase compared to the city's past three-year average.

The Denver Police Department is launching a social media campaign to promote the safe storage of firearms. The “Lock Out Crime” public service announcement videos — which include guidelines for theft prevention and the use of gun locks, gun safes and lock boxes — will be posted to the department's Facebook and Twitter accounts.

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As of June 30, 327 guns were reported stolen this year — most during burglaries and vehicle thefts — a nearly 27 percent increase over the past three-year-average, police said. Through July 4, 94 juveniles were involved in gun-related crimes.

Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said his department "respects the rights of individuals to legally possess firearms, but along with that comes a responsibility to ensure those deadly weapons do not end up in the wrong hands or in the hands of our youth.”

“By safeguarding and preventing unauthorized access and use of your guns, you can potentially save lives – it’s that simple," he said.