A judge decided on Monday not to lower the bail for a man accused of shooting Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds last month. The prosecution argued that the suspect, Luis Mendoza, had stalked Reynolds and two other individuals into a strip club and pursued them as they exited before opening fire on their SUV.
Prosecutor Holly MacDonald described the incident as a “violent, vicious attack on the citizens of Denver County,” urging Denver County Court Judge Andre Rudolph to keep Mendoza’s bail set at $300,000 in cash. She emphasized that this was a well-planned and coordinated assault on the three victims, with Mendoza being the principal orchestrator of the horrific act.
According to MacDonald, at least 30 bullets were discharged into the vehicle carrying Reynolds and his companions. In response, Mendoza’s attorney, Beth Drombroski, requested the court to allow Mendoza to post bond, citing his responsibilities towards his 8-year-old daughter and his wife, who is facing a significant medical operation.
Mendoza, aged 35, along with 42-year-old Burr Charlesworth, faces multiple charges including six counts of attempted murder and assault. They are scheduled to appear in court again on December 16. Additionally, a third suspect was detained last week on charges of attempting to influence a public servant, a minor felony, according to police reports.
The shooting incident occurred in the early hours of October 18, moments after Reynolds exited Shotgun Willies, a strip club in Glendale. Prosecutor MacDonald stated that Mendoza and individuals in at least three different vehicles pursued Reynolds’ SUV before unleashing a barrage of gunfire. The Ford Bronco was eventually rendered inoperable by the gunfire, leaving Reynolds and his companions to flee and subsequently call 911 for assistance.
As reported in court documents, Reynolds sustained injuries to his left arm and the back of his head, while another individual was shot in the back. A third victim suffered injuries from shattered glass, and all three incurred scrapes while trying to escape by climbing over a fence.
Although the Broncos classified Reynolds’ injuries as minor, head coach Sean Payton noted that he was “pretty shaken up” by the ordeal. Reynolds had also been placed on injured reserve after suffering a finger injury in a game against Las Vegas on October 12, which is why he was absent from the team’s game in New Orleans on the night of the shooting.
In what is now his ninth season in the NFL and first with the Broncos, Reynolds signed a two-year contract worth $9 million last offseason. Since joining the team, he has played in five games, starting one, with a total of 12 receptions, 183 receiving yards, and one touchdown to his name.