LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) — Police says Lyndon McLeod is the suspect in the crime spree that started with deadly shootings in Denver Monday and didn’t end until five victims were killed, in Denver and Lakewood. McLeod also died in a shooting with a Lakewood police officer.
McLeod created a company named Flat Black Ink years ago. He also published three books which are described by one reader as including rants on diversity, women and globalization with fantasies of killing people.
Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen says McLeod was known to them. They had two investigations surrounding him; one in 2020, and the other in early 2021. Neither of them resulted in any criminal charges.
(credit: CBS)
Details about those investigations were not released.
Police believe McLeod’s ties with the tattoo industry and community was behind the shooting spree.
Lakewood police say they first received a call about shots fired at West Colfax Avenue and Kipling Street around 6 p.m. on Monday. One person died at that scene. Police had a section of a parking lot in front of a liquor store, tattoo parlor and Thai restaurant taped off.
(credit: CBS)
Police officials say they gathered information about the suspect vehicle.
Officers found that suspect vehicle in the Belmar area, and when they tried to approach the suspect, they shot at officers who shot back at the suspect. The suspect was able to get away on foot.
(credit: CBS)
There was also heavy police presence at Alaska Drive and Vance Street. Police say the suspect committed “felony menacing” at one store while armed.
(credit: CBS)
Then, the suspect went inside the Hyatt House hotel on Alaska Drive. On Tuesday afternoon, the hotel employee wounded in the shooting, a 28-year-old woman, reportedly died.
Officers then confronted the suspect again outside of the hotel, and the suspect reportedly shot at them, hitting one officer. The officer’s condition was unknown Tuesday afternoon.
The suspect died at that scene. Lakewood police officials say they do not know if they died by officers’ gunfire.
