Davarie Armstrong

Davarie Armstrong was a charismatic and athletic 17-year-old Black male who was a beloved son, brother, and teammate in his Denver, Colorado community. A rising senior at South High School, he was a standout multi-sport athlete, playing football, basketball, and running track. Friends and family described him as a leader with a radiant smile who could light up a room. Having just celebrated his birthday in June, Davarie was looking forward to his senior year and dreamed of playing football at a historically Black college or university.

On the night of July 11, 2020, Davarie attended a house party in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood, on the 4500 block of Atchison Way. An altercation broke out at the party. According to his family, Davarie stepped in to de-escalate the situation. One account states he went to check on a girl who was being yelled at when another person pulled out a gun and began shooting. Davarie was struck multiple times. His friends, realizing an ambulance was taking too long, rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Davarie’s death, one of several youth homicides in Denver that week, sent shockwaves through the city. Dozens of students and friends gathered at South High School for a vigil, creating a memorial with flowers and balloons and sharing memories of their friend. His family stressed that Davarie was not affiliated with any gangs. In the years following his death, his mother, Angel Shabazz, founded a support group called A Mother’s Love to help other grieving mothers in the community.

The Denver Police Department launched a homicide investigation and, in late July 2020, announced the arrests of two teenagers. Police arrested 19-year-old Michael Walker in Las Vegas, and a second suspect, a juvenile whose name was not publicly released, was arrested in Denver. Both were held on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with Davarie’s killing.

The arrest affidavits for the suspects were sealed. As of the latest available information from July 2020, no plea, trial verdict, or sentencing outcome has been publicly reported, and the case remains pending litigation.