Dacien Salazar, 19, was killed in a drive-by shooting outside the Downtown Aquarium in Denver on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2024. The shooting happened around 3 p.m. at 700 Water Street after Salazar and friends, who had traveled from Pueblo to visit the aquarium, were leaving. A four-door black sedan identified as a Chevy Malibu with temporary tags pulled up and a masked person in the back seat opened fire. Salazar was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and later died.

Detectives identified two suspects: 19-year-old Antonio Vasquez and 17-year-old Jason Trujillo Jr. Investigators say a friend reported Salazar had received threats on Facebook; that tip, surveillance footage, an anonymous tip, matching bullet cartridges tied to another Pueblo shooting, phone records, and security video from a hotel and an REI store helped link the two men to the incident. Footage reportedly shows a suspect carrying a black mask and removing the vehicle’s temporary tag before the shooting.

In May 2024 both Vasquez and Trujillo were charged with first-degree murder; Trujillo is to be tried as an adult and a $1 million cash-only bond was set for each. Does anyone have information about Salazar’s movements that afternoon or about the Chevy Malibu seen near the aquarium?