Commerce City Police Department performing Homicide Investigation

COMMERCE CITY ― On December 19, 2008 at approximately 11:18 p.m., the Commerce City Police Department responded to a shot’s fired call at Parkway Liquors, at 6075 Parkway Drive in the city of Commerce City.

While the Commerce City Police Department was on that scene performing their investigation they learned that a twenty-two year old male was brought into North Suburban Medical Center’s Emergency Room suffering from a gunshot wound.

Detectives from the Commerce City Police Department have learned that a disturbance had taken place between a group of males which started inside the liquor store and then spilled outside.

As the disturbance was coming to an end a black male, later described with a skinny build about 5’11’’ to 6’00’’ feet tall, wearing black clothing with a black baseball cap with the letter “P” on it removed a handgun from his person and fired several shots towards the other group of males. Marco Escalera, twenty-two years old from Denver was shot at that time.

Both groups then fled the area in SUV's. Both the victim’s vehicle and suspect’s vehicle were later found, one in Denver and the other in Commerce City, however the suspect’s vehicle was found parked and abandoned.

Marco Escalera was driven from the scene to the hospital by friends where he was later pronounced dead as a result of his injuries.

Detectives are currently interviewing witnesses to identify the suspect(s) involved and the motive behind the shooting.

The Commerce City Police Department is asking anyone with information that could help in this investigation to please call the Commerce City Police Department at (303) 227-8840.