A visit to Denver from their home in Cincinnati took a tragic and unexpected turn for 54-year-old Patrick 'Pat' Huhn and his wife, Shannon. On May 6, 2022, the couple was in the process of renting a vehicle from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car located in the 300 block of Broadway when they were subjected to a sudden and violent attack in the parking lot. A man, later identified as Derron Harris, opened fire without any apparent motive or connection to the victims.
The incident, which seemed to be a random act of violence, left the community and the victims' loved ones searching for answers.
Patrick Huhn sustained fatal gunshot wounds and died at the hospital on the day of the shooting. His wife, Shannon, was also shot and was listed in critical condition but ultimately survived her injuries. A third individual, Brian Mauer, was also injured during the assault, sustaining minor wounds from gunshot stippling. The shooter, Derron Harris, fled the scene on foot but was apprehended by police shortly after the incident inside a nearby liquor store. He was taken into custody without incident.
Following his arrest, Derron Harris faced multiple charges in connection with the unprovoked attack. On July 28, 2023, Harris pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault, and one count of second-degree assault. As a result of his guilty plea, he was sentenced to a total of 60 years in the Department of Corrections, with the sentences for each charge to be served consecutively. In addition to the prison sentence, Harris was ordered to pay over $23,500 in restitution to the Crime Victim's Compensation program.
