Commerce City Sentinel Express 3
June 30, 2022
DA clears Commerce City officers in 2021 Fairfax Park shooting BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
District Attorney Brian Mason cleared Commerce City police officers who were involved in a shooting last year. He released an explanatory letter June 22. “There is no reasonable likelihood of success of proving the elements of any crime beyond a reasonable doubt against the involved officers,” read the letter to Commerce City Police Chief Clint Nichols. “Therefore, no criminal charges will be filed against the law enforcement officers involved in this incident.” The incident happened late in the afternoon Aug. 3, 2021, in the 7100 block of Grape Street. When officers arrived, they found a man who had died of gunshot wounds. Mason’s letter said witnesses described a potential suspect and directed them to nearby Fairfax Park. One witness identified Andrew Reineke as the suspect. As officer Don Calvano searched the area, he heard gunshots from close range. He wasn’t hurt but realized a bullet “perforated the sleeve of his uniform,” the letter said. Other officers radioed they saw Reineke in the backyard of a home in the 6900 block of Fairfax Street. The letter said Reineke fired at Calvano and again missed him. Calvano shot nine times before his rifle malfunctioned. “Although Officer Calvano was
also armed with a 9-mm semiautomatic handgun, he did not fire it during the encounter,” Mason’s letter read. Detective Cody Nau was also at the suspect’s location but on the opposite side of the residence. Nau saw the suspect come out from behind the residence. “He saw the suspect raise a firearm and point it at him,” the letter read. “Detective Nau aimed his Glock 9-mm semi-automatic handgun at the suspect and fired two times but missed.” Two other officers, Officer Marie Anders and Sgt. Megan Cordova, parked in the area of East 69th Avenue and Fairfax Drive. They reported that gunfire struck an Adams County sheriff’s deputy vehicle and they thought the gunfire hit their car, too. “The officers ... saw the suspect climb over a privacy fence onto the driveway of the residence nearby,” the letter read. “The suspect was armed with a black handgun. The officers called out to the suspect to put his hands up. The suspect noticed the officers, raised the handgun and pointed it at them.” Officer Anders fired one round from a .223-caliber rifle. Her weapon malfunctioned after the one shot. Sgt. Cordova fired two rounds from her Glock 9-mm semi-automatic handgun. SEE SHOOTING, P5
Commerce City police searching for 2 burglary suspects Detectives recover half a million dollars in stolen property STAFF REPORT
COMMERCE CITY -- Police are looking for at least two suspects involved in a series of commercial burglaries and auto thefts over the past several months in the Denver area. Commerce City detectives identified Esequiel “Zeke’ Gomez, 32, and Demi Christian Maestas, 29, in a press statement June 24. There may be others, according to the press release. Spokesman Travis Huntington said the group ran into a business after hours. The suspects, who were seen carrying firearms, stole items and then left the business. Huntington said the suspects often steal an extra vehicle. The thefts have occurred in Commerce City, Denver, Thornton, Aurora and as far east as Sterling. Officers’ attempts to stop the suspects have failed, and the suspects drove away in a stolen vehicle. Huntington said detectives found Gomez in a residence in the 64600 block of East 69th Avenue and
drafted a search warrant. “Since he was suspected of being armed, detectives had SWAT officers attempt to serve the search warrant,” Huntington said. “Gomez spotted the SWAT officers approaching the residence and got into the passenger side of a newer model stolen Audi, grey in color, and fled eastbound on East 69th Avenue.” The warrant turned up several stolen items, including a pair of stolen trucks, a stolen camper, a pair of stolen assault-style rifle and property from six burglaries in four areas of metro Denver. “The total value of the recovered stolen property is believed to exceed half a million dollars, not including the value of the stolen vehicles,” Huntington said. “Also recovered were 60 suspected fentanyl pills and approximately two ounces of suspected methamphetamine.” Huntington said Gomez may have committed an additional commercial burglary in Greenwood Village after escaping the East 69th Avenue address. Those with information on this case should call the Commerce City Police Department’s tip line at 303289-3626. If you see either Gomez or Maestas, call 911. “Do not attempt to contact them, as they are considered armed and dangerous.,” Huntington said.
