The suspect in Monday’s shootings in Colorado reportedly wrote a story under a pseudonym with chilling similarities to the series of incidents that left five victims dead, leading investigators to believe the victims were intentionally targeted, authorities found.
The suspect, 47-year-old Lyndon James McLeod, allegedly opened fire in four separate incidents late Monday beginning around 5 p.m., followed by his death during a shooting exchange with Lakewood police agent Ashley Ferris, CNN reported. Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said investigators believe the victims were targeted after finding a series of writings under the pseudonym Roman McClay.
McLeod’s writings consisted of chilling similarities with the real-life shootings that contained the victims’ true names, the outlet reported. His work told the story of character “Lyndon McLeod” killing a character named “Michael Swinyard” while dressed in police gear, according to the outlet. The county’s medical examiner’s office found that one of the victims of Monday’s shootings was also named Michael Swinyard, according to CNN.
The medical examiner said 67-year-old Swinyard died in downtown Denver, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Five Dead, Officer Injured In Mass Shooting Near Denver)
Police have not commented to CNN on any possible connections between the shootings and the shooter’s previous business. Police also said it was a wounded law enforcement officer that eventually was able to shoot and kill the shooter. https://t.co/SmjOTJbRny
— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) December 29, 2021
In another piece, McLeod wrote about killing a woman named Alicia Cardenas, the same name as another victim of the shootings who owned a tattoo parlor called “Sol Tribe Tattoo & Body Piercing” in Denver’s South Broadway neighborhood, the outlet reported. Her father, Alfredo, told KMGH that his daughter was “a real leader in the community.”
Three more victims were identified by authorities on Wednesday, including Cardenas’ assistant manager Alyssa Maldonado, the outlet reported. Among the remaining victims were 38-year-old Danny Scofield, an employee at Lucky 13 Tattoo and 28-year-old Sarah Steck at the Hyatt House hotel in the Denver suburb Lakewood.
Maldonado’s husband, James, currently resides in the hospital for his injuries, according to the outlet.
Investigators said a motive behind the shootings are still unclear, the outlet reported. It appears that McLeod had a connection to tattoo parlor employees given his previous connection to a former studio in the area. A Denver tattoo parlor called the suspect a “registered agent.” Police believe shots were fired at this parlor despite there being no reported injuries.
“This individual was on the radar of law enforcement,” Pazen said. “We believe a gun was fired [at the parlor]. However, we do to have any injuries at that particular location.”
Investigators and authorities revealed that the shootings included a car chase and gunfight, the outlet reported. Authorities received a call about a burglary where McLeod fired shots in an unspecified building, where people escaped untouched. Police identified his vehicle as a black Ford used in the chase and gunfight.