In the heart of Denver, Colorado, a young life was tragically cut short on March 7, 2022. Za’Riyah Monet Thomas, a 16-year-old girl, was fatally wounded by gunfire in the Five Points neighborhood, near the intersection of 25th and Welton Streets. Emergency services responded to the scene and transported her to a nearby hospital, but her injuries proved to be too severe.
The investigation into the shooting led the Denver Police Department to identify two suspects in connection with the
homicide. Shardae Rideaux, who was 19 at the time, was taken into custody on suspicion of first-degree murder. A second individual, 23-year-old Gabrielle James, was also arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to the crime.
The arrests brought a measure of progress in the case, though the specific details of what led to the fatal shooting have not been widely disclosed by authorities. The probable cause statement for the arrests was sealed, limiting the public release of information regarding the motive and the events that transpired on that tragic day. The Denver District Attorney's Office was tasked with determining the final charges to be filed against the two women arrested in connection with the death of Za’Riyah Monet Thomas.
