Denver police arrest two teenagers in connection with Russell Square Park shooting
Denver police have arrested two teenagers in connection with a drive-by shooting that killed two people at Russell Square Park in April.
Dazirius Wilford, 18, faces a first-degree murder charge for allegedly shooting and killing 18-year-old Pharrow Ware during a family gathering at Russell Square Park in the 3600 block of North Vine Street around 6 p.m. April 5, according to a Thursday news release from the Denver Police Department.
Denver police on Friday said a juvenile male suspect, whose name was not released, was arrested after he was identified as the second suspect in Ware’s death. The juvenile faces charges of first-degree murder, police said.
Another victim — 43-year-old Sharon Ware — was also killed in the incident, though neither Wilford nor the juvenile is noted as a suspect in her death, according to the release. Due to the continuing investigation, his arrest affidavit is sealed and further details are not available, according to police.
The two victims were attending the gathering when a vehicle driving past the park exchanged gunfire with at least one person in the group, Denver police said in a previous news release. The suspect vehicle was found about four hours after the shooting and confirmed as stolen.
A 34-year-old man who attended the event was originally identified as the suspect who allegedly shot Ware, though the Denver District Attorney’s Office did not file charges against him due to no reasonable likelihood of conviction, according to the previous release.
The shooting, as well as one other in the area, rattled residents of the Five Points and Cole neighborhoods, who called for increased patrols at a community meeting in the days following both incidents.
Tina Ware, Sharon Ware’s cousin, said at the time that she was struggling to make sense of the tragedy.
“I’m trying to wrap my mind around this, trying to get an understanding,” Ware said. “We’re hurting. We’re confused. We’re angry.”
The final determination of charges against Wilford will be made by the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
Denver Gazette reporters Deborah Grigsby and Matt Kyle contributed to this report.