DENVER — Two people were killed in an apparent road rage shooting on Interstate 25 in Denver Tuesday afternoon.
The incident happened around 2:56 p.m. on northbound I-25 between West 6th and West 8th avenues, according to the Denver Police Department.
Officers arrived and found a man on the shoulder of the road suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Denver police.
A second man was found on the northbound I-25 off-ramp to West 8th. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
Investigators determined the incident involved road rage and was between the victims, who were traveling together in one vehicle, and the driver of another vehicle near northbound I-25 and Alameda Avenue.
According to Denver police, the driver of the victim vehicle stopped in the right lane of the interstate directly underneath West 6th. The passenger got out of the vehicle and approached the driver of the suspect vehicle, who also stopped on the highway.
Authorities are still investigating the extent of the confrontation, but believe the driver of the suspect vehicle pulled out a firearm and fatally shot the passenger from the victim vehicle, according to Denver police.
The driver of the victim vehicle then got out of their car and walked toward the suspect, who was still in his vehicle, Denver PD said. The suspect started to drive off, and the second victim grabbed onto the vehicle, according to police.
The driver got off at West 8th and fired multiple shots at the second victim, who was hit and fell from the vehicle, Denver police said.
An on-duty Denver police detective was driving on the highway at the time of the shooting and heard the gunshots, according to the department. He spotted the suspect vehicle and followed it while coordinating with other officers.
The officers conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle near West 13th Ave. and North Meade Street, where they took the driver — identified as 25-year-old Stephan Long — into custody without incident.
Long is being held for two counts of first-degree murder.
The highway was closed for several hours from Alameda to 8th Ave. as officers collected evidence. It has since reopened.
Investigators have interviewed several witnesses, but are asking anyone with information or dashcam video to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner will release the victims' identities at a later time. The Denver District Attorney's Office will make the final decision when it comes to charges in this case.
