On a Tuesday afternoon, June 13, 2023, 21-year-old Blake Lucas, a male, was riding in a car with his 22-year-old brother, Damon. The brothers were on their way to a job interview in Denver, Colorado, a trip that tragically ended in violence on Interstate 25. An encounter with another driver, 25-year-old Stephen Long, escalated into a fatal road-rage incident that left both brothers dead.
The confrontation began as the vehicles were stopped in traffic.
Blake Lucas reportedly exited the passenger seat of the car he was in and approached Long's vehicle. An altercation ensued, and Long, from inside his car, allegedly shot Blake. As Long attempted to drive away, Damon Lucas pursued on foot and grabbed onto Long's vehicle. As the car moved, Long is said to have fired again, fatally wounding Damon. Blake Lucas was transported to a hospital where he later died, while his brother Damon was pronounced dead at the scene.
An off-duty police officer who heard the gunshots followed Stephen Long's vehicle and alerted other officers, leading to Long's arrest shortly after the incident. He was taken into custody without any visible injuries. Long was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Blake and Damon Lucas. He claimed that he acted in self-defense, stating that the brothers had been aggressive, cut him off in traffic, and that Blake had begun hitting him through his open car window, making him fear for his life.
In the months that followed, the legal proceedings took a significant turn. Prosecutors first dropped the murder charge related to Blake Lucas's death. Later, in August 2024, the Denver District Attorney's Office requested that the court dismiss the remaining murder charge against Stephen Long. The District Attorney stated that after a thorough review of the evidence, they could not prove Long's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, citing a strong and valid claim of self-defense under Colorado law. Following the dismissal of all charges, Stephen Long filed a federal lawsuit against the city and two Denver police officers, alleging racial bias and selective prosecution.
