Danny Scofield: Denver shooting victim remembered as a great tattoo artist
Family and friends are mourning the death of Danny "Dano" Scofield, a tattoo artist and one of the victims of Denver area shooting spree on December 27. Scofield, 38, was among the five people killed Monday night after a person opened fire in several locations in the Denver area.
Scofield, a father of three children was a popular artist at Lucky 13 Tattoo shop and was originally supposed to be visiting family out of town on Monday, Shay Johnson, one of his close friends, told CBS Denver.
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He added, “They were supposed to be celebrating Christmas today, He’s supposed to be with his mom and dad celebrating Christmas.” April Potter, Scofield's sister, said, “He was my best friend, the best person I’ve ever met in my life. I don’t know who I’m going to turn to, because he’s the person I turned to for everything."
Scofield, according to Potter, was a great tattoo artist who worked at Lucky 13 Tattoo and Piercing and influenced a lot of people. After the day of the incident, flowers were laid in front of the shop to remember Scofield. At nearby Kavasutra Kava Bar, a location where Scofield visited frequently, a group of close friends gathered to grieve together. They created a makeshift memorial on a shelf across from the bar, which contained a portrait, candle, and Scofield's favourite drink.
At Lucky 13, fellow colleagues say they're distraught and want answers. “Dano was the most loving… person in the world. Peaceful, friendly, just like a big teddy bear giant. I don’t know why anyone would actually do that to somebody that’s caring. He has kids, too. Just another thing that’s hard, He didn’t deserve this. I don’t think anybody did,” Dano’s friend Shay Johnson told the media.
Police clarified that a man with a pistol entered Lucky 13, walked out about 10 seconds later, and then drove away in a dark-coloured van, according to security video footage obtained from a nearby business.
Venika Ladaprasankul, a waiter at the restaurant next to Lucky 13, confirmed that she heard three gunshots that evening. She then remembered being terrified after seeing a man with a huge gun walk out of the tattoo shop, get into his car, and drive down Kipling in the wrong direction. Lakewood police said the suspect was eventually apprehended in the Belmar Shopping Center. The shooter, identified as Lyndon James McLeod, 47, was killed in a gunfight with police.
Apart from Scofield, Alicia Cardenas, 44, and Sarah Steck, 28, were among the five people killed by the shooter. Police did not release the identities of the other two fatal victims.