The man shot and killed during dueling political rallies in Denver has been identified as a veteran and local hat maker, Lee Keltner.
“My son Lee was at the patriot rally today in Denver,” Keltner’s mother, Carole, posted on the Northeast Arkansas Tea Party Facebook group. “He was murdered because he backed the police.”
“His 24 year old son was with him,” she continued, which was reported by the New York Post. “I moved to Arkansas because Colorado got too expensive and liberal. The left has gotten out of hand.”
Keltner had been living in Denver and was a hatter at Crossfire Hats in the city’s historic district for more than 20 years. The Sun reported he was shot and killed in front of his son.
The shooting unfolded Saturday afternoon after a rally called “Patriot Muster” kicked off.
“It’s time we let these communist socialists know we have had enough,” a description of the event stated. “Fight back, push back. Time to take our country back!”
A Denver Communists group responded to news of the event by holding a counterprotest called the “BLM-Antifa Soup Drive.”
“We scheduled our action after learning that the militia-fascists had called a ‘patriot muster’ against the Black Lives Matter movement, anti-fascists and Marxists,” a spokesperson for Denver Communists said. “That’s us — guilty as charged and happy to oblige with our presence.”
A private security guard who was hired by local outlet 9NEWS was arrested for the shooting.
He has since been identified as Matthew Robert Dolloff, according to police.
“Matthew Dolloff (DOB 03-07-1990) is being held for Investigation of First Degree Murder in connection w/the shooting that occurred yesterday at 10 W. 14th Ave. This remains an active investigation; any additional updates will be released as it becomes available,” the Denver Police Department tweeted Sunday.
*story by The Washington Examiner