Topline
At least 10 people were injured overnight during a mass shooting in downtown Denver after a celebration commemorating the Nuggets’ first NBA championship—not the first time a major sports victory has devolved into violence.
Key Facts
Of the 10 people shot three are in critical condition and the other six are believed to have non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The suspect—who was among the 10 shot and does not have life-threatening injuries—was taken into custody, police said.
The shooting—which was prompted by an altercation among several people police said—happened less than a mile from Ball Arena where the Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat earlier in the evening.
Police said they are leading a “complex investigation” and have yet to release information about the motive for the shooting.
Key Background
This is not the first time the celebration of a sporting event has led to violence. After the Milwaukee Bucks won an NBA championship in 2021, two separate shootings left three people wounded amid the celebrations. During the Toronto Raptors championship rally in 2019, four people were injured and a small stampede ensued after multiple people fired shots into the crowd of people celebrating.
Big Number
291. That’s how many mass shootings, defined as four or more injuries or deaths, have happened in the U.S. so far this, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Further Reading
At Least 14 Dead In Memorial Day Weekend Mass Shootings—Outpacing Prior Years (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/06/13/denver-shooting-injures-10-after-nuggets-win-nba-championship/