One of three suspects in the downtown Denver shooting that left nine bystanders injured pleaded guilty Friday in a district courtroom.

Ricardo Vasquez, now 24, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder — which was amended to include all four victims he injured — a drug charge of possession with intent to distribute and a crime of violence sentence enhancer.

Under the plea deal, Vasquez will serve 35 years in prison for the first-degree attempted murder charge and eight concurrent years for the drug charge. He will also be required to pay over $18,000 in restitution. 

Vasquez was arrested on June 13, 2023 shortly after a shooting in Denver’s LoDo neighborhood following the Denver Nuggets NBA Championship win.

The shooting, which took place around midnight in the 2000 block of Market Street — near View House and several other bars near Coors Field — left nine bystanders injured. Vasquez was also injured in the exchange of gunfire.

A second suspect, Raoul Jones, was also arrested on a weapons charge after the shooting and pleaded guilty. He’s set to be sentenced on Feb. 6.

The third suspect, Kenneth Blakely, was arrested 10 days after the shooting. He also faces attempted murder charges.

Blakely and Vasquez exchanged gunfire. Blakely is suspected to have pointed his gun at Vasquez first and Vasquez responded by firing his gun and striking “multiple parties” before he fled the scene, according to the arrest affidavit.

Vasquez was caught fleeing from the area and was found to possess multiple drugs, including cocaine and crack cocaine, according to arrest records.

During the hearing, Vasquez was surrounded by tearful family members, passing a little girl back and forth between the pews. The girl appeared to be Vasquez’s daughter, with the man kissing her before heading to the stand.

There was a pause prior to every time Vasquez pleaded guilty, as if holding his breath before each word. Tears streamed down his face. The family audibly wept behind him.

Vasquez’s bond was revoked, placing him in jail until his sentencing on March 21.

As deputies placed the man in handcuffs, he turned to his family and cried, “Take care of my baby for me.”