Seemorerocks: Murder in Denver

Yet another murder of a Trump supporter that seems to be ascribed to another group or person.

By my count the Denver shooting is the fourth shooting between counter protesters. But it is in the state's interest not to associate the shooter with Antifa in order to avoid an escalation into civil war.

I shall post some of the alternative analysis elsewhere

The private security guard who allegedly shot and killed a right-wing 'Patriot Muster' protester outside the Denver Art Museum has been identified as 30-year-old Matthew Dolloff.

Dolloff, a Pinkerton contractor who was hired to serve as security for 9News, was arrested on suspicion of murder after he opened fire on the Patriot Muster protester who deployed mace at him during dueling rallies on Saturday afternoon.

Family members identified the victim as Lee Keltner, a grandfather and military veteran. Carol Keltner, who said she is the victim's mother, wrote on Facebook that her son was killed 'because he backed police'.

In images snapped by a Denver Post photographer, Keltner appeared to slap Dolloff and then deployed a stream of mace into his face before the guard lifted his handgun and fired, sending the protester staggering backward.

Dolloff immediately surrendered to riot police who rushed in to arrest him seconds after the gunshot rang out. He is currently being held without bond on a charge of first-degree murder, according to jail records.

The Denver Police Department (DPD) said Dolloff had no known affiliation with the Black Lives Matter and Antifa group that staged a counter-protest against the Patriot Muster rally on Saturday at the Denver Civic Center.

Police declined to confirm whether the victim, who they have not yet named publicly and was pronounced dead at a hospital, was affiliated with Patriot Muster.

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Matthew Dolloff, 30, (pictured) was arrested for first-degree murder after he allegedly shot and killed 'Patriot Muster' protester Lee Keltner (right) during dueling rallies in Denver on Saturday

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A stunning series of images captured the moment Dolloff, a private security guard working for News9, shot and killed the Patriot Muster protester identified by family members as Lee Keltner. In the image above, Keltner (left) appears to slap Dolloff (right) in the face while holding a can of mace in his hand

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A second image showed Keltner deploying mace at Dolloff, who had pulled a handgun out of his waistband. Dolloff was contracted by local TV station News9 through Pinkerton, a private detective and security agency

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Keltner staggers backward after Dolloff fired his weapon into the cloud of mace, striking and killing the protester

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Dolloff turned and looked toward the camera after shooting Keltner at 3.37pm on Saturday outside the Denver Art Museum

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Dolloff laid down his weapon and appeared to tell a 9News producer he was with to back away as riot police rushed at him

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Dolloff fell to his knees and immediately surrendered after fatally shooting the man who maced him

The moments leading up to the shooting were captured in a video posted on social media, which showed Keltner engaged in a shouting match with another man believed to be with the group of Black Lives Matter and Antifa counter-protesters.

The counter-protester, who was wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt, is heard telling Keltner: 'F***ing mace me,' as bystanders attempt to pull them away from each other.

The counter-protester continues shouting as Keltner walks out of the video frame. Seconds later a gunshot rings out and Keltner is seen lying on the pavement.

9News confirmed that it had hired the guard through the private Pinkerton detective agency to watch over its staff during Saturday's dueling protests between pro-police groups under the name Patriot Muster and a 'BLM-Antifa Soup Drive'.

'A 9NEWS employee and a 9NEWS contractor were taken into custody,' the station reported, adding that the contractor - one of its producers - was deemed to be not involved in the shooting.

'The private security guard was contracted through Pinkerton by 9NEWS. It has been the practice of 9NEWS for a number of months to hire private security to accompany staff at protests.'

Questions about Dolloff's employment with Pinkerton emerged on Sunday after FOX31 contacted Denver's Department of Excise and Licensing, which said that no one by his name has ever been registered as an active security guard in the city.

Pinkerton did not immediately return DailyMail.com's request for comment. Denver is one of three cities in Colorado that requires licenses for security guards.

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The moments leading up to the shooting were captured in a video posted on social media, which showed Keltner engaged in a shouting match with another man believed to be with a group of Black Lives Matter and Antifa protesters who turned out at the art museum to face off with the Patriot Muster crowd

Police had deployed in large numbers for Saturday's rival rallies. When gunfire erupted at 3.37pm local time, more than a dozen officers rushed to the scene to detain the shooter.

Dolloff still had his handgun in his grasp when riot police swarmed him with guns pointed. He was filmed falling to his knees as he dropped his weapon and raised his arms above his head.

He was arrested, along with the 9News producer who was later cleared of involvement in the shooting.

The victim was shot at point-blank range and was taken to a hospital where he later died, Joe Montoya, chief of DPD's investigations division, said at a news conference on Saturday evening.

'There was a verbal altercation that transpired at the area of the shooting,' Montoya said. He declined to connect the gunman and the victim with the protests until the police finished their investigation.

Two guns were recovered at the scene, Montoya said.

The DPD confirmed on Twitter that the shooting was being investigated as a homicide. Dolloff has not been formally charged as the district attorney's office reviews evidence in the case.

Under Colorado law, it's possible that Dolloff could argue that he was justified in using lethal force because he felt that he was in imminent danger.

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Keltner (pictured) was Marine veteran and grandfather, according to loved ones who confirmed his death on Facebook

In videos and photos from the incident, Keltner was seen wearing a shirt that said 'BLM' followed by an obscene phrase that appeared to mock the Black Lives Matter movement. The shirt was partially obscured by his sleeveless military vest.

On Sunday, Keltner's relatives took to social media and identified him as the man who was shot and killed.

'My son Lee was at the patriot rally today in Denver,' Carol Keltner wrote in a Facebook group called Northeast Arkansas Tea Party Group.

'After the rally a person on the BLM and Antifa side went up to him said a few nasty words then shot him in the head. He was murdered because he backed the police.

'His 24 year old son was with him. I moved to Arkansas because Colorado got too expensive and liberal. The left has gotten out of hand.'

Jay Keltner, who identified himself as the victim's son, also posted about the tragedy on Facebook, writing: 'I can't believe my dad's gone. This will never be right #RIP.'

Keltner owned his own custom hat-making business in Brighton called Crossfire Hats, according to The Sun.

He shared his love for the trade in an interview with the Denver Post in 2015, saying: 'Everything I do is custom. I do one hat at a time, I do it right for that customer, and then I move on to the next one.'

In a video from 2012 Keltner described how he was 'keeping the West alive, one hat at a time'.

'I love being an artist,' he said. 'Creating new and different things because I do all the work myself and I do it one at a time. It's truly special for that customer.'

Several friends paid tribute to Keltner in social media posts, including Laura Sanders, who described him as a 'loving husband, father and friend' on Twitter.

'Lee u always had a great sense of humor & always helped those you could,' Sanders wrote in one post. 'U were one of the good guys! This world is a sadder place without u my friend! Thanks 4 all the great memories & fun times! Praying 4 your family! U were an amazing friend, husband and dad! Love ya buddy!”

In another tweet Sanders wrote: 'I will miss you forever my dear friend! Your life taken by a coward! You were an amazing husband, father and friend! I will miss our conversations and your laugh and smiling face! Rest In Peace Lee! Much love.'

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Dolloff is seen surrendering to police after he opened fire on the Patriot Muster supporter at 3.37pm on Saturday

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Police are seen detaining a 9News producer who was with Dolloff moments after the shooting. Investigators later determined that the producer was not involved in the shooting

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The victim, believed to be attending a Patriot Muster rally, was shot and killed following an argument with a security guard

In the Twitter video recorded just before the shooting occurred, the victim and several other Patriot Muster supporters were seen engaged in a heated argument with at least one Black Lives Matter protester.

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The shooting victim (left) was seen arguing with a Black Lives Matter protester seconds before he was shot dead

The video began with the BLM protester shouting in the face of the soon-to-be victim, saying: 'Shoot me mothaf***a. F***ing kill me then n***a.'

Another Patriot Muster supporter stepped in and pushed the BLM protester back as he said: 'Don't f***ing touch me n***a. Don't f***ing touch me.'

The protester looked directly at the victim and said: 'F***ing mace me,' as the victim walked toward him holding a can of mace.

The victim said several words that were unintelligible before eventually pulling up his American flag face mask and walking out of the frame to where the security guard was standing about 15 feet away.

The BLM protester continued shouting at the second Patriot Muster supporter for a few seconds before gunfire erupted and the video cut off.

Richard Johnson, who witnessed the shooting, told CBS4 he saw nothing leading up to it that was out of the ordinary.

'I'm wondering what possible explanation there could be,' Johnson said.

'There didn't seem to be any altercation, there wasn't any yelling coming from that way, the victim didn't seem to be advancing on him in a menacing way.

'He is a large man. But I suspect when this all shakes out it may be something other than what we might think at first.'

Rival rallies - which have became a common sight in Denver over the summer - had been called for Saturday afternoon by the opposing groups Patriot Muster and BLM/Antifa groups.

John Tiegen, an ex-Marine and Blackwater private security guard, is credited as the founder of Patriot Muster, which is comprised of pro-police activists.

Tiegen had summoned his followers to the Denver Civic Center park for a 2pm rally under the slogan: 'Stand up, show up.'

The slogan bore similarities to President Donald Trump's response when asked to condemn white supremacists and the Proud Boys. Instead of disavowing them he said: 'Stand back and stand by.'

'Join myself and hundreds of fellow Patriot Americans for a Muster at Civic Center Park 2pm sharp,' Tiegen wrote on Instagram.

'Don't let the communists, socialist party and groups intimidate or Oppress you any longer! Come join us and be heard & seen and celebrate OUR freedoms.'

Tiegen foreshadowed violence at the event on Friday, telling KNUS: 'I'm not going in there to do violence, but I'm going to be prepared to do violence.'

BLM-Antifa organized their own rally in the same spot, at 1.30pm - telling their supporters: 'Counter protest the fascist rally nearby!'

Chelsea Jacobs, a member of the Denver Communists, said that Saturday's event, dubbed a BLM-Antifa Soup Drive', had been organized in response to the Patriot Muster.

The 'soup rally' was meant to be ironic in response to comments that far-left protesters throw soup cans, she said.

When Saturday afternoon arrived, right-leaning protesters rallied by Tiegen congregated inside the Civic Center's amphitheater while left-leaning protesters gathered outside.

One member of the BLM-Antifa crowd burnt the blue-colored Stars and Stripes flag used by pro-police groups, pouring lighter fluid over it and setting it ablaze at the feet of the DPD officers.

Large numbers of officers attempted to keep the two sides apart.

Police were not letting anyone else into amphitheater area, but by 3.30pm, the Denver Post reported, the barrier appeared to be coming down.

Police fired what appeared to be pepper balls into the crowd, after people from the leftist group started rattling the barrier headed into the amphitheater.

This isn't the first time that Tiegen's sympathizers have clashed with left-wing counterprotesters. Similar unrest unfolded on July 20 at a 'Back the Blue' rally organized by Tiegen.

Tiegen, the Patriot Muster organizer, said the BLM-Antifa protesters started throwing soup cans at the police.

Police expected there to be trouble. In previous weeks they have asked organizers to cancel or postpone their rallies, to try and tone down tension.

Ahead of Saturday's rallies, they issued a statement saying the department 'respects the right to peacefully assemble'.

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John Tiegen, organizer of the 'Patriot Muster' group, said the BLM-Antifa protesters started throwing soup cans at the police

They continued: 'Those who participate in protests, demonstrations, marches, or other gatherings, as protected by the First Amendment, are reminded to do so in a lawful manner.

'Individuals who choose to act outside of local, state and federal law, will be subject to citation or arrest.'

Tiegen is the author of the book 13 Hours, detailing the botched Benghazi raid, which was turned into a film.

Tiegen spent four years in the Marines and then several years as a security contractor with Blackwater Security on missions in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, he says on his website.

Tiegen then worked for the CIA on their Global Response Staff, deployed to 40 countries around the world.

He was in Libya in September 2011 when the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi was attacked, and four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, killed.

He received the Award for Heroism and Valor for his bravery that night.

Back in his native Colorado, Tiegen has carved out a career for himself as a motivational speaker.

He regularly appears on television and radio to discuss his views.