Man jailed in shooting that forced evacuation of Bennett schools

Trevor Reid

Aug 31

Two young men were caught and one has been jailed after a shooting near a crowded park that compelled the evacuation of schools in the town of Bennett, Adams County sheriff's officials said Wednesday.

Families with children playing soccer were gathered in Trupp Park on Tuesday afternoon when the gunshots reverberated. One of the men was 21, the other just under 18, authorities said, and the gunman — identified Wednesday as Joey Prieto of Bennett — was jailed. Nobody was hurt.

Prieto remained in custody Wednesday morning, said Sgt. Adam Sherman, spokesman for the sheriff's department. It was unclear whether one or both were formally arrested.

Deputies went to an area near Trupp Park on Tuesday afternoon and found multiple bullet shell casings, Sherman said. The deputies tracked down and detained the two men, he said.

"We had a ton of witnesses. There was a soccer practice going on in the park. There were a whole lot of families there. We were able to collect shell casings. Nothing was hit," Sherman said.

Bennett, population 2,862, is 37 miles east of Denver along Interstate 70.

Bennett school officials placed students who were participating in volleyball and other extracurricular activities at Bennett Elementary on lockdown as a precaution after residents reported hearing gunshots. Students later were shuttled by deputies to the nearby Bennett High School, where they were reunited with their families, officials said.

Update: The investigation is showing that two individuals were involved in a disturbance where one of them began shooting. Multiple rounds were fired. Thankfully no one was struck by the gunfire. One person is in custody pending the filing of charges.

— Adams Sheriff's Page (@AdamsCoSheriff) August 30, 2023

Investigators interviewed the two men. They determined that they "were involved in a disturbance where one of them began shooting" and that "multiple rounds were fired," according to a police update on X, the social media site formerly called Twitter. No victims were found, and officials were mulling what charges may be filed against Prieto.

School classes and extracurricular sports and other activities on Wednesday were canceled, school officials announced. "Due to the severity of the incident, school will be canceled tomorrow," school officials wrote. "Our students and staff's safety is our first priority. We will not have any activities, practices, or games tomorrow."

Deputies are in the area of Trupp Park in Bennett for a call of a party with a gun. Bennett Elementary was placed in lockdown as a precaution. We are asking that parents go to Bennett High School to reunite with their children. No shooting victims have been found as of of yet. pic.twitter.com/O8T495iPsx

— Adams Sheriff's Page (@AdamsCoSheriff) August 30, 2023