This article is related to a previous incident: Shooting / Disturbance, Sprouts Car Meet, Rimrock
Grand Junction, Colo. — Police say the driver who crashed near Target during Saturday night’s pursuit was not responsible for the shooting tied to a disturbance at the Sprouts parking lot. Instead, a Montrose man has been arrested on assault and weapons charges stemming from the gunfire.
According to a Grand Junction Police Department press release, officers were dispatched around 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, August 23 to Sprouts (1450 Independent Ave.) on reports of vandalism in progress and possible gun involvement. A short time later, officers located a male gunshot victim at the Sam’s Club parking lot; he was transported by GJFD with serious injuries.
As JunctionNow previously reported Saturday night, police located a suspect vehicle at Mesa Mall, pursued it toward Target, and two people were taken into custody after a crash; four people total were transported to the hospital (one with a gunshot wound, three with minor injuries).
GJPD now clarifies that the occupants of the pursued vehicle that crashed near Target were not responsible for the shooting. The driver of that vehicle, Dangelo Saenz, 18, was arrested on allegations including Felony Menacing, Attempted Vehicular Assault, and Felony Vehicular Eluding, among other charges.
On August 24, GJPD, the Montrose Police Department, and the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office contacted a suspect in the 14000 block of Marine Road in Montrose. Arthur Lucas, 45, was arrested without incident and booked into the Montrose County Detention Facility on Assault in the First Degree and Illegal Discharge of a Firearm. The investigation remains active; no further information was available at the time of the release.
What’s new since our initial report
- Shooter identified and arrested: Arthur Lucas (45) of Montrose, for first-degree assault and illegal discharge of a firearm.
- Target crash clarified: The crash and arrests near Target are separate from the shooting; those occupants are not suspected of firing the shot(s).
- Pursuit driver charged: Dangelo Saenz (18) faces menacing, attempted vehicular assault, vehicular eluding, and related allegations.
- Victim status: One male suffered a gunshot wound and was transported with serious bodily injury (status updates not provided in the release).