Video: Suicidal gunman closes streets near Cheesman Park for hours

Major streets near Cheesman Park were shut down for hours yesterday, with Denver police enforcing closures from mid-afternoon well into the evening.

What happened? A man reportedly fired shots out of his apartment in a building near 10th and Race. When police finally gained entry, however, they found his body: He’d apparently taken his own life.

Look below to see details, photos from the scene, a video and more.

First word of the incident was tweeted out by Denver cops about fourteen hours ago at this writing. Here’s the first message….

…plus one followup….

…and another….

…sent within the hour. Officers didn’t uncover evidence of anyone being hit by the shots, but given the dense population in the area, not to mention the proximity to a park used by families and Denverites of every description, the risk presented by a person firing wildly from what was later determined to be a second-story unit in a complex at 1077 Race Street was extremely high.

When the gunfire stopped, the police waited for a search warrant, all the while keeping the streets closed. Here are a series of photos taken around 6:30 p.m. near the scene by Westword web editor Adam Roy:

Finally, around 8 p.m., members of the Denver SWAT team were able to access the apartment. They found a dead man inside. DPD reps later told the media that he appeared to have taken his own life.

A short time later, streets were finally reopened, and this morning, residents of the area are able to move about freely again — albeit with undoubtedly vivid memories of a very unsettling night.

Look below to see a 9News report about the shooting.

Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.

More from our News archive circa December 2013: “Suicide by freezing prevented by CU student’s roommate, rescue crew at Chautauqua.”