ONE KILLED, THREE WOUNDED IN GUNBATTLE

Life-threatening wounds for good Samaritan in suspected motorcycle gang shootout in Arvada.

A gunbattle between rival motorcycle gangs outside the Jake’s Roadhouse bar and restaurant Saturday night in Arvada left a 43year-old man dead and three in hospitals, one with life-threatening wounds after stepping in, police said.

“A good Samaritan came out to help and is now facing life-threatening injuries,” Arvada police Detective Dave Snelling said Sunday morning.

Arvada police responding to 911 calls went to the scene at Jake’s Roadhouse, 5980 N. Lamar St.

The establishment was open about 10:20 p.m. as the fight broke out, reportedly involving Mongols and Hells Angels.

Police found William Henderson dead, motorcycles down and bullet shell casings scattered around a four-block area along Lamar Street between 58th and 62nd avenues in northwest metro Denver.

“There were just a lot of people. Witnesses heard multiple gunshots. Some described 10 to 15 shots. Then they heard motorcycles crashing. Most everybody took off,” Snelling said.

The Roadhouse was open Sunday morning.

Police said whether the bar should have been open — Gov. Jared Polis has ordered bars to close as part of efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus — is an issue that would be discussed, but it wasn’t a focus because the shooting happened outside the Roadhouse.

“Jake’s Roadhouse was not involved.”

Investigators were trying to determine the types of guns that were fired in the incident. On. Nov. 7, Arvada police assisted federal agents in executing a search warrant at a property linked to a motorcycle gang.

“This is not a new rivalry, if it is the Mongols and the Hells Angels. But it is deeply concerning. It was in the middle of a neighborhood,” Snelling said.

“We are very lucky no resident was shot and that nobody else was injured.”