Police said the April 3 shooting followed a brief confrontation near 18th and Stout streets.

DENVER, Colo. — A 31-year-old Denver man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder after police said he shot a scooter rider in the neck during an unprovoked late-night attack at a downtown traffic light.

Anthony Davon Apodaca is accused in the April 3 shooting of Nico Francis near 18th and Stout streets, a central business district intersection close to transit stops, offices and nightlife. The case has drawn attention because police say the men did not know each other, because Francis survived a neck wound that could have killed him, and because Apodaca later posted bond while Francis was still facing a long recovery.

The shooting happened shortly before 11:45 p.m., after Francis had left the First Friday Art Walk on Santa Fe and was riding a Lime scooter across downtown to meet friends near Colfax Avenue. Francis said the night had seemed ordinary until he came upon a white Chevrolet SUV stopped near people on the sidewalk. A passenger was yelling from the vehicle, first at people nearby and then at him. Francis said he tried to calm the exchange. “I don’t know you. I don’t want any trouble, man,” Francis said he told the passenger. He said the passenger got back into the SUV, but the same vehicle later pulled up beside him at the red light.

Police said officers responded to reports of gunfire near 18th and Stout streets and found Francis wounded at the scene. The arrest affidavit described by local reports says a witness saw the passenger confront people at a bus stop before turning toward Francis and asking whether he had a problem. Francis told police he answered that he did not. Investigators said the passenger then fired one shot before the SUV sped away. Officers soon stopped a white Chevrolet Tahoe matching the suspect vehicle and detained several people. Another passenger identified Apodaca as the shooter, according to reporting on the affidavit. Surveillance video and witness accounts also placed a man in clothing matching Apodaca near the shooting, police said.

Francis has said the gun was pointed toward his face as the SUV began to pull away. He described hearing a loud pop, then seeing blood and feeling shock move through his chest and body. He said his right arm stopped working, and his phone was so covered in blood that he struggled to call for help. Francis, who works in the medical field, said he knew coughing up blood meant he had little time. He said he tried to get help from a couple in a vehicle, but they drove off. Moments later, another bystander came back to him, pressed hands against the wound and helped him call 911.

Doctors later told Francis the bullet missed major arteries in his neck by only a small distance, he said. The round traveled through his shoulder area, damaged his scapula and left him with limited use of his right arm. Francis has said he does not know whether the arm damage will fully heal. He also said daily tasks became difficult after he left the hospital, including brushing his teeth, fixing his hair and moving without help. A fundraising page described ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation and lost wages while he recovers. Francis said the bystander who pressed on his neck likely saved his life.

The criminal case then moved quickly from the street investigation to court. Apodaca was arrested shortly after the shooting and accused of attempted first-degree murder. Prosecutors sought a $100,000 cash-only bond, according to public statements reported locally. A judge set bond at $75,000 with surety available. Conditions included home confinement, GPS monitoring and the surrender of firearms. Francis said the release increased his fear even though a protection order and monitoring were in place. “I understand he’s on house arrest, but that doesn’t make me feel any better,” Francis said.

The bond decision became one of the main public issues around the case, separate from the underlying charge. Francis said Apodaca should have remained in jail while the case moved forward, calling the release frightening because he had never met the accused shooter and still did not know why he was targeted. He has said the attack felt random, not tied to an argument, debt or earlier contact. Officials have not announced a motive. Police have described the investigation as active, and court records listed an advisement hearing in Denver County Court for April 21.

The shooting also unsettled Francis because he had often defended downtown Denver to friends and co-workers who said they viewed it as dangerous. He moved to Denver in 2020 and has said he enjoyed the central business district, walked his dogs there and encouraged others to visit. After the shooting, he said that confidence changed. “People have always told me downtown is so dangerous,” Francis said. “And then I get shot in the neck.” The remark has become part of the broader reaction to the case because the alleged attack happened during a routine scooter ride through an area meant for public movement.

Witnesses described the SUV passenger as confrontational before the shooting, but the exact reason Francis was singled out remains unknown. Francis told local reporters he believed the people in the SUV may have been driving around looking for a fight. “I think he just kinda wanted to shoot somebody that night,” Francis said. Police have not said whether other people in the SUV could face charges, and public reports did not identify the driver or other occupants as charged in the shooting. Investigators relied on witness accounts, the vehicle stop and statements from people inside the SUV as they built the case against Apodaca.

Francis continues to recover while the case moves through Denver County Court. The next phase is expected to focus on the attempted murder charge, bond limits and the evidence police say ties Apodaca to the SUV.

Author note: Last updated May 6, 2026.