Shooting after Denver Nuggets championship parade leaves 2 people 'in serious condition'

The Denver Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred during the Nuggets parade in the city celebrating the team's first NBA championship.

According to authorities, shots were fired Thursday at the corner of 17th Street and Curtis Street, near the city's central business district and the 16th Street Mall, an area filled with restaurants and stores.

Police said two male victims were transported to Denver Health and they are in serious condition.

Police have a photograph of the suspect, but he has not yet been identified or taken into custody, according to Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas, who added the shooting was a targeted incident "completely unassociated to the parade and subsequent events" and happened about an hour after the festivities ended.

"Rest assured that our Denver police department will not rest until we apprehend the individuals who are responsible for today's shootings and unfortunately injured two people," Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock said during a news conference Thursday afternoon. "Shame on them."

Thomas said two unrelated arrests were made during the parade, one individual with a weapon and another who had a warrant and was "involved in a disturbance."

Police officer in surgery after firetruck runs over leg during Nuggets parade

Denver police also said Sergeant Justin Dodge, a decorated member of Denver Police Department's Swat team, was struck by a firetruck near the end of the parade route at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday and taken to the hospital with a serious lower-leg injury.

The officer is undergoing limb-saving surgery, according to Stephen Wolf, director of emergency medicine at Denver Health.

"He was received by a robust trauma team and as of this time he is in stable condition," Wolf said at around 2:45 p.m. MT Thursday. "He does have a severe, limb-threatening injury. He was taken to the operating room by our world-class orthopedic team after being cleared by our trauma team.

"We can't say what the outcome will be, but I can guarantee you our orthopedic services will do everything possible to preserve the limb."

Dodge was among multiple officers following the firetruck carrying Nuggets players during the parade, Thomas said. As the vehicle was rounding the corner at 13th Avenue and Cherokee Street, Dodge had to step closer to the front passenger side of the firetruck to protect people who strayed into the street, Thomas said. That is when the firetruck rolled over his lower leg.

Shooting injured 10 people after Nuggets win NBA Finals

Tuesday, 10 people were injured in a shooting within a mile of Ball Arena after the Nuggets' clinching Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat, delivering the team's first title as thousands of fans flooded the downtown area.

Police later said they suspect it was a drug deal that likely sparked the mass shooting; nine men and one woman were expected to survive.

"This really is about young people getting their hands on guns," Hancock said Thursday. "These are young people, 19 and 22 and 25, whose lives if they're not ended by the gunshot, they're ruined and ended because they're going to spend the rest of their lives in jail.

"And if you want to know why people are emboldened, there is a very prolific Fentanyl drug trade happening all over this country. And we have not been immune to it. So, join with us in being honest about what's happening here: Our young people are getting their hands on guns. They don't know how to solve crises or challenges by having a conversation; they're shooting at one another. It makes absolutely no sense.

"This may have been a very targeted situation related to a drug trade, not only on Monday but today, and it's making everyone else unsafe."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shooting in downtown Denver: What we know from Nuggets parade