Brothers get decades in prison for murder in Denver Downtown Aquarium drive-by shooting



Brothers get decades in prison for murder in Denver Downtown Aquarium drive-by shooting

Two brothers were sentenced to decades in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to second-degree murder for a drive-by shooting at Denver’s Downtown Aquarium that killed a 19-year-old, according to the district attorney’s office.

Antonio Vasquez, 21, and Jason Trujillo Jr., 19, were initially charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder after police say they shot and killed Dacien Salazar outside the aquarium at 700 Water St. on Feb. 14, 2024.

Investigators found that Salazar was visiting from Pueblo and was targeted by Vasquez and Trujillo, who drove to the Denver area from southern Colorado to kill him.

Salazar’s friends told police he had received threats from gang members and from Trujillo before the shooting, according to an arrest affidavit.

Vasquez, who police said shot and killed Salazar, was sentenced to 40 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.