May 15, 2015 VOLU M E 1 4 | I S SUE 25
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Suspect shot by deputy identified Alexander West tried to run over officer, authorities say Staff report
Nancy Arney of Denver receives a white carnation for Mother’s Day on May 9 at Orchard Park Health Care in Centennial. On the right is 6-year-old Abby Christian, who’s a part of Daisy Girl Scouts Troop 3933. Children from SkyView Academy went room to room, hand-delivering flowers to patients at Orchard Park. Photos by Taryn Walker
A Mother’s Day surprise
By Taryn Walker
Twalker@colorado communitymedia.com Synergy HomeCare of Denver donated flowers to be delivered by Daisy Girl Scouts Troop 3933 and Boy Scouts from Troop 461 on May 9 at Orchard Park Health Care in Centennial. Children ages 5 to 8 went room-to-room hand-delivering colorful carnations to residents for Mother’s Day. Patients had just wrapped up lunch and were surprised by the cheerful greeting, as the event was called “Mother’s Day Surprise.” Synergy representative Kim Paul said the thought of seniors not having family with them for the holiday made her think of the idea. She teamed up with Orchard Park activities
assistant Karen Faust to organize the event and it was a success, both said. “We want to make sure our local moms aren’t forgotten this year,” Paul said. In a release about the event, Paul wrote, “A health and retirement study found that loneliness and isolation can increase depression, stress and raise blood pressure, and lead to premature death.” Troops were elated to see welcoming faces as they entered rooms. One resident, Mary Claire Alkford, who was sitting near her window when she was given her carnation, had fun trying to guess the ages of some of the Girl Scouts members. Troop members even prepared songs to sing before their delivery and practiced saying “Happy Mother’s Day” in their “quiet voices.”
Eight-year-old Boy Scout Eli Yetzer of Littleton giggles as he tries to pick out a song he’d like to sing while he delivers flowers to residents at Orchard Park Health Care in Centennial. Carnations were handed out to patients for Mother’s Day by Daisy Girl Scouts Troop 3933 and Boy Scouts Troop 461 from SkyView Academy.
A man suspected of hitting a deputy with a vehicle at a Centennial shopping center before being shot by a different deputy faces an attempted-murder charge. Alexander West, 25, is being held at the Arapahoe County jail on $1 million bond. The injuries to West and the deputy struck by the vehicle were not life threatening, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said. The deputy who shot West has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure, the sheriff’s office said in a news re- West lease. Here’s what the sheriff’s office said happened just after midnight May 5: At about 12:30 a.m., deputies were called to the shopping center in the 5000 block of East Arapahoe Road on the report of a possible armed robbery of a liquor store. When deputies arrived, the suspect, identified a day later as West, was in a vehicle. After deputies attempted to make contact, the suspect drove through the parking lot, made several turns and struck a deputy who was responding on foot. A second deputy then shot West. Both West and the deputy were given firstaid treatment and transported to a local hospital. In a May 6 news release, the sheriff’s office said an armed robbery did not occur at the liquor store. “Preliminary investigation has indicated that this was an intentional act by the suspect,” the release states. West faces the following charges: attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer; first-degree assault; second-degree assault on a peace officer; second-degree assault causing injury with a deadly weapon; false reporting; and violent crime with a weapon. The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the 18th Judicial District Critical Response Team in conjunction with sheriff’s office investigators.
School-safety measures pass ‘Claire Davis bills’ garnered bipartisan support By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Orchard Park Health Care resident Mary Claire Arkfeld admires her carnation after a surprise visit after lunch from a Girl Scout.
Abby Christian, left, and Amanda Paul of the Daisy Girl Scouts Troop 3933, both of Highlands Ranch, prepare to hand out carnations to patients.
Two bills supported by the family of Claire Davis, who was slain at Arapahoe High School in December 2013, have passed the state Legislature and now await the signature of Gov. John Hickenlooper to officially become law. Michael and Desiree Davis, Claire’s parents, released a statement thanking several state education associations and the Colorado Criminal Justice Committee for their willingness to negotiate support for the bills. “These groups started out opposing the measure, but were willing to work with us on amendments that improved the bill and allowed them to withdraw their opposition,” wrote the family. The Claire Davis School Safety Act, SB 213, Safety continues on Page 4