Denzel Grimes, a 29-year-old Black man from Albany, New York, died on April 12, 2020, in a tragic incident at a hotel in Colonie. Grimes had been residing at the Days Inn on Central Avenue since the middle of March. On that Sunday afternoon, he was in his room when he accidentally discharged a 9 mm handgun, inflicting a fatal wound to his groin.
First responders were called to the scene and attempted to render aid, but Grimes ultimately succumbed to his injuries due to significant blood loss. An autopsy conducted at Ellis Hospital later confirmed that the cause of death was the single, accidental gunshot wound.
The Colonie Police Department investigated the shooting and quickly determined it to be an accident. Investigators reported that the handgun involved in the incident was not registered to Grimes, though it had not been reported as stolen. Following a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the shooting, law enforcement officials concluded that the death was self-inflicted and accidental. As a result, the case was closed, and no arrests were made or charges filed in connection with the death of Denzel Grimes.
