Khant Htoo Naing

In the early morning hours of October 22, 2022, the life of Khant Htoo Naing, a 16-year-old Asian male, was tragically ended in Denver, Colorado. The shooting occurred around 2 a.m. in the 2200 block of Buchtel Boulevard, near the University of Denver campus. Khant, who was just weeks away from his 17th birthday, was found suffering from a gunshot wound.

Denver police officers responded to the scene, but despite any medical efforts, Khant was pronounced deceased. His death marked another loss to gun violence in the city, leaving a family and community to mourn the sudden loss of a young life.

The investigation moved quickly, and the day after the shooting, Denver police announced the arrests of two men in connection with Khant’s death. The circumstances that led to the shooting were not publicly revealed by authorities, pending the release of an arrest affidavit.

The two individuals taken into custody were Emilio Gomez, 20, and Josiah Cruz, 18. Following their arrests, Gomez was charged with first-degree murder, and Cruz was charged with accessory to first-degree murder. As of the announcement of their arrests in October 2022, the case against both men was proceeding through the legal system.