Man Identified In Connection With Shooting Near Coors Field

DENVER, CO —A man is accused of shooting two people, one fatally, after yelling at them about training their dog, according to a probable cause statement released Thursday.

Michael Close, 36, faces first-degree murder charges. He made his first court appearance Thursday morning in Denver.

A couple was walking their dog Wednesday at 3001 N. Fox Street, when the man told the dog to poop, according to the probable cause statement. He then heard someone yell at him from a ground-floor apartment, asking him if he "was going to train the dog or just yell at it," the document shows.

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The man told investigators that he tried to ignore the person who was yelling, but then saw what he believed was a pellet gun pointing at him, according to the probable cause statement.

The man then heard "multiple gun shots" and ran away "until he couldn't run further due to the injury to his leg and buttocks," according to the document. The woman was fatally shot.

Police were called to the area and blocked off roadways while they searched for a suspect.

Police then received reports that the suspect was heading into the mountains. He was arrested around 1:30 p.m. near Mount Evans Boulevard and Highway 285, police said.

Later, investigators discovered the couple had been shot with an AR-15, police said. Detectives said they found a handgun, a pistol grip rifle, a gun belt and magazines inside the vehicle.

The man who was shot is expected to recover, officials said. He's been identified as Darian Simon, 26. His girlfriend has been identified as Isabella Thallas, 21.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to pay for Thallas' memorial service.

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