Colorado man shot in head during antigay road rage confrontation, police say

Police say a Colorado man shot at a gay couple in a road rage incident. One victim told police the shooter hurled antigay slurs before shooting his husband in the head.

Denver police arrested Jacob Sifuentez, who now faces three charges of attempted first-degree murder, according to the District Attorney for Colorado’s 17th Judicial District. He also faces two counts of assault and one count of possessing a large-capacity ammunition magazine during the commission of a crime.

One of the victims told Denver police that on August 1, he was driving home to his apartment complex when Sifuentez, who was riding an e-bike, cut the couple off, according to Fox 31 Denver. In a police affidavit, the victim said Sifuentez and others who were also riding bikes started “calling them ‘f——‘ and other derogatory comments.”

The riders then followed the couple’s vehicle through the gate of their apartment complex. The driver turned around, but the riders remained near the gate. The victim said a light was shined through the windshield and he heard a “pop.” He turned to see that his back windshield was broken, and then saw that his husband had been shot in the head and was “snoring.” Police said the shooting victim had agonal breathing.

Surveillance video corroborated the victim’s account, showing an individual pointing a weapon from among a group of bike riders and a light mounted on the weapon. The footage then shows the vehicle driving away from the area as the shooting occurs, according to the local news outlet.

When police arrived, they found Sifuentez standing near the shooting scene and near a shell casing. Sifuentez initially told police he heard a pop and saw police in the area but did not know what happened, according to police records. But the shooting victim’s husband identified him as the shooter.

Another e-bike rider questioned by police said the couple’s car had almost hit him and had swerved and braked multiple times. The rider acknowledged shouting derogatory names at the victims and claimed the couple had yelled back and threatened to kill the bikers. He also claimed that when the car returned to the gate, its driver appeared to be carrying something in his hand.

That rider said he heard a shot but did not know where it came from, and that Sifuentez told him to run immediately afterward.

During questioning by detectives, Sifuentez denied involvement and said he was at home when the shooting occurred. He later invoked his Fifth Amendment rights. But after being told he would be arrested, police said Sifuentez admitted to pulling out the lighted pistol. The affidavit says Sifuentez claimed he saw that one of the driver’s hands was free and “reacted the way he thought he had to.” He also told police where they could find the gun, which he said was in his wife’s vehicle.

Prosecutors did not identify the victims by name. Sifuentez’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 25.