MLB All-Star game: Hero hotel maid averts possible 'mass shooting' after finding weapons cache
A massive stash of firearms and weapons, which could have been used in a mass shooting massacre, has been found at a hotel in Denver, Colorado. Shockingly, the hotel is nearby Coors Field, where the MLB All-Star game is scheduled to be hosted on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. It was a maid of the hotel who first came across the firearms and immediately alerted the authorities, prompting a search by a SWAT team. Over 1,000 rounds of ammo, 16 long guns, and body armor were found in two rooms of the Maven Hotel. The unnamed maid who helped nab the culprits is being hailed as a hero.
Fans across the country will be hooked onto the MLB All-Star Game, on July 13, for the first time since 2019. The 2020 All-Star game was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, hence the excitement is all the more for 2021. The game will be attended by thousands of fans at Coors Field, many of whom put up in nearby hotels like the Maven. Though FBI Denver has confirmed that the incident was not related to "terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game", it could still have led to a Vegas-like mass shooting.
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Four persons, including three men and a woman, have been arrested in connection with hoarding the weapons. The hotel was combed thoroughly by the SWAT team on Friday night, July 9, after the maid informed about the weapon stash. One of the suspects, a recent divorcee, posted a Facebook message that announced he would "go out in a big way." The police now believe that the weapons were stashed in connection with the drug trade and not with plans for terrorism.
The suspects have been identified as 42-year-old Richard Platt from Colorado, 48-year-old Gabriel Rodriguez, 44-year-old Ricardo Rodriquez, and 43-year-old woman Kanoelehua Serikawa. Platt has been charged with 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, while the other three are facing either one or two of the same charges.
#FBIDenver is aware of the arrest of four individuals at a hotel near the Major League Baseball #AllStarGame venue. We are coordinating with the Denver Police Department (DPD) regarding this criminal matter. DPD is the lead investigative agency. @MLB @AllStarGame @DenverPolice pic.twitter.com/9yNtWAywUi
— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) July 11, 2021
We have no reason to believe this incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game. We are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players, or the community at this time.
— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) July 11, 2021
In a tweet, FBI Denver assured, "We have no reason to believe this incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game. We are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players, or the community at this time."
The agency further added, "As is the case w/major special events, the FBI works closely with our law enforcement partners in preparation for & in support of public safety during these events. We continue to encourage the public to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. #SeeSomethingSaySomething."