Nuggets Player Shot, as paged

[jimmnn]

On Saturday, April 8, 2006, around 2:15 a.m., Adams County Deputies received a call of a shooting in the area of east bound interstate 76 over interstate 25. Upon arrival deputies found an unoccupied vehicle that appeared to be involved in the middle of the road. Witnesses informed deputies that a second motorist stopped and the victim and passenger got into the second vehicle. The Good Samaritan transported the victim to local hospital.

The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Julius Hodge, who is a basketball player with the Denver Nuggets. There is no apparent motive for this act of violence and the Adams County Sheriff's Office is seeking the assistance from the public. Detectives with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the incident and are in the process of developing information and identifying persons who may have witnessed the shooting.

Information about the incident is very limited. The preliminary investigation reveals that the victim, Julius Hodge was driving east on interstate 76 and a vehicle, make and model unknown, pulled up along side Hodge’s vehicle and started shooting. The victim’s vehicle was hit with several bullets from an unknown type of weapon. Some of the rounds struck Hodge in his lower extremities. After being hit by gunfire, he stopped the vehicle in the middle of the road and the passenger flagged down another motorist, who transported them to the hospital.

Julius Hodge’s medical condition is unknown and is not being released by the hospital. Detectives would like to speak with the motorist who took the victim and passenger to the hospital. If anyone witnessed or has information about this incident you are asked to contact the Adams County Sheriff’s Office at (720) 322-1313.

 

[funcritter]

That's scarey. I live so close to there and I'm on that highway all the time. Hopefuly the police will find out what happened. Good luck to Julius.

 

[letarotor]

Motive

As a big city cop (the city with the highest violent crime rate in the nation), my intuition and experience in dealing with incidents like this makes me suspect the following:
Motive:
1. Dispute over some type of prescribed or unprescribed Pharmaceuticals.
2. Dispute over a woman, which, considering the time frame, began at the bar he had just departed.
Witnesses:
Since Mr. Hodge was shot multiple times, and the news article fails to mention that his passenger was shot leads me to believe that the shooter(s) were alongside his vehicle for some time. A long enough time at least to get a make or model, and/or at the very least, the color. He probably got a very good look at the dude that shot him!
Good Samaritan Motorist:
Most likely a friend, or another bar patron who witnessed the "act of violence," and will eventually help Mr. Hodge exact payback later.

Sounds like Mr. Hodge knows more than he is telling the Sheriff!

I could be wrong, but I don't believe in random chance, especially on deals like this.

 

[funcritter]

I won't go into naming names here but the good samaritan was another YOUNG famous Nuggets player and this was SUPPOSEDLY over an old girl friend and Mr. Hodge had been shot outside of that nightclub/stripbar at Pecos and I-76. He had been shot about 9 times in the crotch. He made it to his car and managed to get onto the highway a short distance and realized he couldn't drive. That's where the good SAMARITAN mr famous Nuggets player comes in. Good stuff eh?

 

[jimmnn]

I won't go into naming names here but the good samaritan was another YOUNG famous Nuggets player and this was SUPPOSEDLY over an old girl friend and Mr. Hodge had been shot outside of that nightclub/stripbar at Pecos and I-76. He had been shot about 9 times in the crotch. He made it to his car and managed to get onto the highway a short distance and realized he couldn't drive. That's where the good SAMARITAN mr famous Nuggets player comes in. Good stuff eh?

He also can't be very hurt if he was transported and remains at NSMC.

Jim<

 

[jimmnn]

"It looked like there was a traffic jam, because of an accident," says a woman who wanted to be called "Sally." With the shooters still at large, Sally and her husband asked to conceal their identities. They say they were headed home when they saw a black BMW and two men asking for help. "He said that it was Julius Hodge from the Nuggets and he's been shot and could we please give him a lift."

Sally says she was reluctant at first, but her husband agreed and helped Hodge and his friend pack into the small backseat of their car. Hodge's injured leg was stretched all the way across. Sally says, "Very scared. Shot is shot. That's a big word. I was wondering if there were people in the bush waiting for us."

They say they drove quickly to the North Suburban Medical Center in Thorton and on the way there, Sally says Hodge was remarkably calm. "He just phoning his mom and telling her that he'd been shot." While Sally was not. "I kept asking my husband if it was really Julius Hodge in the back of the car and he kept saying to me, 'yes,' because I was very nervous," Sally says.

 

[letarotor]

Priceless!

Jim, that follow-up is priceless! Proof once again that there is always the story behind the story! It's also amazing just how many people will actually stop and try to help. Guess I've seen way too many examples of the old adage, "no good deed will go unpunished." Good Samaritans run over by drunks, robbed, beaten, you name it. I'll be the hero with the cell phone and dial 911 (afterall, the call is free). Especially if my family is in the car, I don't stop for anything or anybody.

Mark