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Three of four people arrested Friday with guns and ammunition in a hotel room one block from the All-Star Game weekend festivities at Coors Field in Denver have extensive criminal backgrounds in Colorado, according to the records.
Police seized more than a dozen guns and numerous cartridges from a room at the Maven Hotel at 1850 Wazee Street in Denver, a source confirmed to the Denver Post on Sunday. The hotel is one block from Coors Field, where thousands of fans are expected this weekend before Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game.
But the FBI said on Sunday that there was no reason to believe the suspects posed a threat to the All-Star Game festivities.
“We have no reason to believe this incident was related to terrorism or a threat directed against the All-Star Game,” said Courtney Bernal, acting public affairs specialist at the FBI’s Denver office. “We are not aware of any threats to the All-Star Game events, sites, players or community at this time.”
Earlier, law enforcement sources told Denver7 they feared a “Las Vegas-style shot” because of the number of guns and ammunition in the hotel room on the eighth floor. , as well as the view from the bedroom balcony, which would overlook potentially large crowds. . One of the men who was arrested posted on Facebook that he wanted to “come out in style,” according to Denver7, which cites anonymous police sources.
Denver Police declined to release further details of the arrests on Sunday, citing an ongoing investigation.
“We are working with our local and federal law enforcement partners on this investigation and continue to ask the public if they see anything – say something,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
A hotel maid noticed the guns and the hotel alerted police, a source told the Denver Post. Officials on Sunday praised the employee and police for quick action.
Those arrested were Richard Platt, 42; Gabriel Rodriguez, 48 years old; Ricardo Rodriguez, 44 years old; and Kanoelehua Serikawa, 43. Police have not provided a place of residence for the four, who are detained and under investigation for illegal possession of weapons and possession of controlled substances.
Platt’s criminal history in Colorado dates back to 1998, when he pleaded guilty to a gun ban. According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, it also includes felony convictions for weapons and drug trafficking, receiving stolen property, theft and assault.
A woman who identified herself as her mother when contacted by the Denver Post on Sunday said it would not be normal for Platt to plan a mass shooting.
“This is absurd,” she said before hanging up.
Gabriel Rodriguez, 48, was also convicted of drug offenses, as well as a misdemeanor dating back to 1993, according to the CBI. It is not known if he is related to Ricardo Rodriguez, 44, whose criminal history in the state begins in 1996 and includes a felony conviction for fraud and a conviction for drug offenses.
The only woman who has been arrested, Serikawa, has no criminal history in the state, according to CBI.
“We are grateful to the Coloradan for reporting suspicious activity, prompt law enforcement action and fully supporting the Denver investigation,” Gov. Jared Polis spokesman Conor Cahill said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for the Maven Hotel said hotel staff were unable to speak to the media due to the ongoing police investigation, but said in a statement that the hotel was working closely with the police.
“We are incredibly proud that our team promptly alerted authorities in this case,” said Kelly Bajorek, director of corporate communications for Sage Hospitality Group. “We are grateful to (the Denver Police Department) for their swift action to safely resolve this situation and will continue to work closely with them to support their investigation.”
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