By Eric Heinz
Tomas Jimenez, 41, was trying to calm people down after a party got out of control in Sunnyside, but when he went outside to check on a disturbance he was shot and eventually died.
His sister, Shalimar, told The Denver North Star that she wants justice for her brother because he was trying to be a peacemaker, not someone who was involved in the out-of-control party.
“He didn’t go out there to hurt anybody,” Shalimar said.” He went out there to solve the issue.”
Shalimar, who lives in Pueblo, said the party’s attendance was described to her by neighbors as a lot of underage children.
“By the time the cops got there, it was pretty out of control,” she said. “Neighbors heard gunshots and he (Tomas) heard girls screaming, and they just wanted to see what was going on. I don’t think he thought it was going to end in gunfire.”
Shalimar said it was in her brother’s nature to deescalate a situation.
“He was not about fighting. He didn’t see a purpose in it. He was about settling it, and unfortunately he wasn’t able to stop this one,” she said. “I got the call from my mother and I called until somebody picked up and they pushed the phone to his face … telling him ‘it’s your sister.’ His last words were, ‘I’m okay, sis, and I love you. Just know that I love you,’ and that was the last I heard from my brother.”
Shalimar said she thinks there is a big problem with young people’s ability to obtain guns.
“Just know that my brother was an amazing man and was loved very deeply and this has affected all of us deeply,” Shalimar said. “There’s too many kids out here taking lives and they don’t realize what they do to people.”
According to a Denver Police Department report, at least four people were discovered with suspected gunshot wounds after 1 a.m. Aug. 28 in the 2700 block of 42nd Avenue.
Three juvenile women had gunshot wounds in addition to Tomas, but their injuries were not life-threatening. Investigators said there may be additional witnesses who left the scene after the shooting who have more information.
A shelter in place order was issued at 1:24 a.m. Aug. 28 and was lifted at 3:33 a.m., according to DPD.
Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval, who represents the Sunnyside neighborhood, took to Twitter to address the shooting.
“I’m shocked and saddened by this devastating news of gun violence that took place in our community,” Sandoval wrote. “I cannot begin to express how sorry I am for the families loss.”
Police are asking anyone with information regarding the incident to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP.
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