4 arrested at Maven Hotel, police feared a ‘Las Vegas-style shooting’ during All-Star Game in Denver

Sources tell Denver7 16 long guns, body armor and 1,000+ rounds of ammo found inside hotel room.

DENVER – Police feared a “Las Vegas-style shooting” during the All-Star Game in Denver after receiving a tip from a housekeeper working at a hotel not far from Coors Field. The hotel employee discovered more than a dozen weapons and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition inside one of the rooms Friday night.

Multiple informed law enforcement sources connected with the investigation told Denver7’s Liz Gelardi and Denver7 chief investigative reporter Tony Kovaleski that they found the weapons inside a room on the eighth floor of the Maven Hotel as All-Star Game celebrations got underway.

Sources said police removed 16 long guns, body armor and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition from the room which featured a balcony overlooking the downtown area. The sources said they feared the number of weapons, ammo, vantage point and large crowds could have resulted in a “Las Vegas-style shooting.”

Based on the information provided by the hotel employee, police executed a search warrant and found the guns, ammo, body armor and a man inside the room on the eighth floor.

One of the suspects arrested Friday night had posted a message on Facebook referencing a recent divorce and saying he was going to “go out in a big way,” according to the multiple law enforcement sources.

SWAT teams responded to the Maven Hotel and Wazee Street was closed to the public as investigators combed the scene. One witness saw a car being loaded on a flatbed. Other witnesses said Denver Chief of Police Paul Pazen was one of the law enforcement officials investigating the scene at the hotel.

In total, three men and one woman were arrested Friday night, along with two vehicles which were also impounded to be processed for possible evidence.

• Richard Platt, 42, for investigation of possession of a weapon by a previous offender, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute (two counts), and a warrant from another jurisdiction.
• Gabriel Rodriguez, 48, for investigation of possession of a weapon by a previous offender, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
• Ricardo Rodriguez, 44, for investigation of possession of a weapon by a previous offender.
• Kanoelehua Serikawa, 43, for investigation of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and a warrant from another jurisdiction.

Platt appeared in court Sunday. A judge set his bond at $50,000, cash only. The other three suspects are awaiting on defense attorney assignments and did not appear before a judge Sunday. They are expected to appear in court Monday.

The judge who issued Platt’s bond declined to give the suspect a lower bond amount in the interest of public safety and because she had concerns about the items located in the hotel room, she told Platt.

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