In the late hours of a chilly Tuesday, on January 31, 2017, Scott Von Lanken, a 56-year-old male, was nearing the end of his shift as a security guard for the Regional Transportation District in Denver, Colorado. Stationed near the bustling Union Station, he was approached by two women seeking directions for the light rail. As he stood assisting them, a figure emerged from the shadows behind him in what investigators would later describe as a completely unprovoked, ambush-style attack.
The man, identified as Joshua Cummings, swiftly and without warning, placed a gun to Von Lanken's neck. He uttered something to the effect of 'Do what you are told,' before firing a single, fatal shot. The sudden violence shattered the relative quiet of the evening, and Von Lanken, a former police officer and pastor known for his compassionate nature, collapsed to the ground. He was transported in an ambulance but succumbed to his injuries. In the immediate aftermath, as two sisters who had witnessed the event rushed to his side, one of them heard him say his daughter's name before he lost consciousness.
The shooter fled the scene, prompting a swift response from Denver police. A short time later, Joshua Cummings was discovered hiding on the terrace of a nearby apartment building and was taken into custody without further incident. The investigation that followed revealed a disturbing background for Cummings, a 37-year-old former U.S. soldier. He had expressed support for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and members of local mosques had previously reported concerns about his worrisome statements to authorities. Despite his claims of allegiance to the terror group, investigators did not find any evidence that ISIS was directly involved in the killing.
Ultimately, the case proceeded to trial, and a jury found Joshua Cummings guilty of first-degree murder after a three-day trial. The verdict was reached after only three hours of deliberation. Subsequently, Cummings was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the mandatory sentence for his conviction. The senseless act of violence took the life of a man remembered by his family and community as a dedicated professional and a loving husband to his wife of 35 years and a father to their twin daughters.
