DENVER — Four people have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a community leader in Denver's East Colfax neighborhood last month, police said on Tuesday.
Ma Kaing, a board member of the East Colfax Neighborhood Association, was shot and killed by a stray bullet July 15 in the 1300 block of North Xenia Street.
"They just indiscriminately fired over three dozen rounds in that direction," Denver Police Commander Matt Clark said. "It's a residential area. It's extremely tragic and senseless. The result is the death of Ma."
Denver police said Tuesday that they arrested three suspects and were working to find a fourth suspect, 19-year-old Swa Bay. Shortly after a briefing provided by Denver police, Bay was taken into custody in Byers, Colorado, police said.
Investigators were still trying to identify a fifth person believed to be involved in the crime.
The suspects in custody were:
- Pa Reh
- Nu Ra Ah La
- Lu Reh
Pa Reh was found to already be in custody in Arapahoe County for an unrelated case. In early August, Aurora police accused him of unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon and violating a protection order. Court records say officers in Aurora learned DPD's homicide unit was looking for him.
Nu Ra Ah La and Lu Reh were both arrested on Monday, according to Denver police.
All four suspects could face the following charges:
- First-degree murder
- First-degree murder – extreme indifference
- Seven counts of attempted first-degree murder
- Two counts illegal discharge of a firearm
It's believed the suspects are affiliated with a gang, Denver police said.
"I hope that gang members look at these situations and make changes in their lives," Kaing's son said in a statement read by police. "These people should be ashamed of themselves. They should be ashamed of their choices and actions."
Kaing's son had been helping her at her restaurant. When they got home and were unloading the car, he said, she was hit by a bullet that came from New Freedom Park across the street.
Police said Tuesday that the suspects and others were in the park and saw a vehicle they felt did not belong there. They fired dozens of shots at that vehicle and, as a result, Kaing was struck, police said.
Police have yet to locate that vehicle or anyone who might have been in it.
A reward of $10,000 was offered for information in the killing of the mother who came to Denver as a refugee from Burma more than a decade ago.
Community members said they are glad to hear arrests have been made in the case, but they want to see more done to make the East Colfax neighborhood safer.
"What we see is a failure of the city to invest in one of the poorest neighborhoods in our city," said Brendan Greene, executive director of East Colfax Community Collective.
Greene's organization is a group of diverse residents and businesses. He said kids need more places to go.
"We are lacking in basic community amenities in our neighborhood," he said. "We are one of the only neighborhoods in Denver that lacks both a recreation center and a public library."
Denver police on Tuesday said they've increased the number of uniform and undercover officers in the area. Earlier this month, the department said they also redirected a camera from another neighborhood to this one.
The shooting also raised questions about 911 response times in Denver, with some witnesses complaining about how long it took to get help.
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