DENVER — Neighbors in one of Denver’s oldest neighborhoods are grappling with a senseless daytime shooting that claimed the life of a local man out for a routine walk with his dog.
The incident occurred around 1 p.m. on April 9 near Curtis Park. Police said it began with a violent disturbance involving a man with a gun and a pregnant woman. Neighbors attempted to intervene before shots were fired.
Witnesses told reporters they did not initially hear gunshots. Moments later, the suspect allegedly exited a building, approached Alex Rainer—who was walking his dog—and shot him.
One resident who frequently walks the same route with her dog expressed shock, saying the path had become a crime scene and that “it could have been any one of us.” She described walking the route at least seven times a day.
Another witness, who knew Rainer from the park, called him a “friendly face” and a family man with two small children and a dog. Graner’s family issued a statement describing his death as senseless and tragic. They remembered him as a loving husband and father whose kindness touched everyone around him, and they asked for privacy as they focus on honoring his life.
The scene quickly shifted from a quiet street to a heavy police response. One witness described seeing officers with guns drawn at the intersection, after which the suspect laid down and officers kicked the gun away from him.
Police arrested 22-year-old Kaylen Stroter at the scene. Records show Stroter had prior arrests in Colorado, including cases related to burglary and domestic violence, though some charges were later dismissed.
Neighbors described the event as deeply unsettling because it happened in broad daylight during what should have been an ordinary afternoon walk. “This didn’t happen at night,” one said. “It happened in the middle of the day.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with police continuing to gather witness statements.
No additional details about charges or the condition of the pregnant woman were available in the witness accounts.