3 high school students arrested in connection with deadly rock attack that killed 20-year-old Colorado woman



Three high school students have been arrested in connection with the deadly rock attack that injured multiple motorists and killed a 20-year-old Colorado woman, police said on Wednesday.

Within a few hours on April 19, at least seven motorists had "large landscaping rocks" thrown at their vehicles while driving in the Denver area. One of the victims of the rock-throwing incidents said it "sounded like a shotgun" when the stone hit the passenger side of his van, according to the Denver Post.

Two drivers suffered minor injuries from the rock attacks. One of the motorists, Alexa Bartell, died after a large rock crashed through the windshield of the Chevy Spark that she was driving in Jefferson County. Police said Bartell was killed by the rock and not the crash into a field when she veered off the road.

Photo of Alexa Bartell's car following rock attackJefferson County Sheriff's Office

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office ruled Bartell's death a homicide and launched an investigation to apprehend those responsible for the fatal rock attack.

Three teen suspects were arrested late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning at their homes in Arvada, Colorado. The suspects are Joseph Koenig, Nicholas "Mitch" Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office noted that all of the suspects were 18 years old.

"They are seniors in high school," CBS News reported. "One attends Ralston Valley High School, one goes to Standley Lake High School in Westminster, and the other attends online school."

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said in a press release, "All three are suspected of throwing rocks and all three are currently facing charges of first degree murder, extreme indifference. Additional charges are expected to be filed and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office will determine final charges."

\u201cThese are the three 18-year-olds arrested in connection to the rock throwing incidents last week.\nJoseph Koenig \nNicholas \u201cMitch\u201d Karol-Chik \nZachary Kwak \nAll three face a First Degree Murder, Extreme Indifference charge for the death of 20-year-old Alexa Bartell. #9News\u201d
— Jaleesa Irizarry (@Jaleesa Irizarry) 1682529872

Mark Koenig, the father of Joseph Koenig, was arrested around 11 p.m. on Tuesday outside his home and charged with obstructing a peace officer. The father allegedly told deputies that they could interview his son the next day, and Koenig reportedly interfered with the police investigation.

The three suspects had been throwing objects at moving vehicles since at least February, according to the arrest affidavit released on Thursday. Police said the trio engaged in the attacks on 10 separate days, which included a statue being hurled at a car.

"These suspects went from place to place to place to place throwing large rocks through windshields of vehicles. We have not seen this before," said Jacki Kelley, spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Kelley said the arrests were the result of "cellphone device forensics and then supporting information from our public." She noted that the public provided more than 300 tips to investigators.

Since there were multiple locations of the rock attacks, investigators sought "geofencing warrants," or "reverse warrants." The controversial law enforcement tool identifies potential suspects based on the location history of their devices near a crime scene.

Authorities notified Bartell's family of the arrests in the middle of the night.

"They’re just so grateful,” Kelley said of Bartell's family. "They're still suffering from the greatest loss possible, but this is the beginning of the journey that they’ll be on next."

Kelley added, "This case touched a lot of people deeply. This was a beautiful young woman with her whole life in front of her who was simply driving home."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Three 18-year-olds arrested in deadly rock throwing spree www.youtube.com

Drag queen recruited by school district to serve as crossing guard



On Wednesday, Denver Public Schools recruited a celebrity drag queen to serve as a crossing guard for the day.

Dixie Krystals, a drag entertainer for over 20 years, was brought on by the school district to attend a “Walk and Roll to School” day, according to the district’s social media post.

Krystals previously appeared on the Discovery+ show “Generation Drag,” which followed the lives of five teenagers as they prepared for a drag show performance.

Krystals was just one of the celebrities the school district enlisted to assist with crossing guard duties for the day in honor of Pedestrian Safety Month. Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero and Democratic Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper also attended the event.

\u201cIt\u2019s #NationalWalkToSchoolDay! And thank goodness we\u2019ve got icons like Dixie Krystals keeping our kids safe as they walk and bike to school. Denver needs more crossing guards so more kids can do just this! Don\u2019t worry - Dixie\u2019s energy level is not a requirement \u2728 #9NEWS\u201d
— Jordan Chavez (@Jordan Chavez) 1665583879

Amy Kenreich, a Safe Routes to School Advocate, explained in a video posted by Denver Public Schools that the Walk and Roll event is a crossguard holiday that promotes “active transportation.”

She stated that the district encouraged students to ditch their personal vehicles and find an alternative way to get to school, such as taking the bus, walking, or riding a bike.

Kenreich said that at least 18 schools within the district were celebrating the event and noted that some schools even have celebrity crossing guards.

Students that found an alternative way to get to school were rewarded with an opportunity to win prizes.

A local KUSA reporter posted a video of Krystals blowing a whistle, waving students through the crosswalk, and handing the students raffle tickets.

\u201cMeet some more of the Denver #CelebrityCrossingGuards that kept our students safe at our schools this morning for National Walk & Roll to School Day!\ud83d\udc63\ud83d\udeb2Thank you! #PedestrianSafetyMonth \n\n\ud83d\uded1 Become a crossing guard for DPS by checking out https://t.co/YLKDRQp31d\u201d
— Denver Public Schools (@Denver Public Schools) 1665608927

“Drag queens are known for their lewd and sexualized performances, and they have no place in or around schools,” Parents Defending Education investigative fellow Alex Nester told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Yet, for whatever reason, schools have been insistent on giving children access to these performers. It’s immoral, distracting and confusing for children.”

Neither Denver Public Schools nor Krystals immediately responded to a request for comment, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported.

Shooting victim and private security guard suspect from Denver protests identified, family reacts



There was a man shot and killed amidst protests by two rival groups in Denver on Saturday.

The shooter, a private security guard working for a local TV station, was arrested without bond and was being held for suspicion of first-degree murder. Matthew Robert Dolloff, 30, is a Pinkerton private security guard who was hired by KUSA-TV to accompany their reporters while covering protests and riots in Denver.

Denver Police released a statement about Dolloff on Saturday night, "Further investigation has determined the suspect is a private security guard with no affiliation with Antifa. Additional information will be released as it becomes available."

The decision on any charges against Dolloff will be up to the Denver District Attorney's Office, police said. A spokesperson for District Attorney Beth McCann said Sunday that the arrest affidavit in the case remained sealed.

The Denver Post is reporting that the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses have no record of Dolloff having a license to work as a private security guard in the city, according to spokesperson Eric Escudero.

"We do not currently have an active license and have never had an active license for anybody with that name," Escudero said. "If he was operating as a security guard, he was in violation of the law."

UPDATE: Matthew Dolloff (DOB 03-07-1990) is being held for Investigation of First Degree Murder in connection w/the… https://t.co/i9ZQXVXvRh
— Denver Police Dept. (@Denver Police Dept.)1602435805.0

There was a "Patriot Muster" rally organized by John "Tig" Tiegen held at Denver's Civic Center Park. Upon learning about the "Patriot Muster, the Denver Communists organization set up a counter-protest called the "BLM-Antifa Soup Drive."

Lee Keltner, a 49-year-old U.S. Navy veteran, was in the area of the protests.

"He wasn't a part of any group," said the shooting victim's son, Johnathon Keltner. "He was there to rally for the police department and he'd been down there before rallying for the police department."

There was an incident where Kelter got into a verbal altercation with a man wearing a "Black Guns Matter" shirt at around 3:30 p.m. local time. Keltner, who has a can of Mace in his hand, steps away from the argument and goes out of the view of the camera.

Then a gunshot rings out and you see Keltner fall to the ground.

Photos show that Keltner and Dolloff got into a physical altercation before the Mace was sprayed and prior to the gun being fired.

Dualing rallies in Denver leaves one dead Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images


Dueling rallies in Denver leave one dead Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Police rushed to the crime scene with guns drawn and Dolloff surrendered.

Shooting in Denver today. (10/10/2020) https://t.co/nq3wuZfcEB
— Austin Frisch (@Austin Frisch)1602368474.0

Two guns and a can of Mace were found at the scene, according to Joe Montoya, the division chief of investigation at the Denver Police Department.

Keltner was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Lee Keltner operated a hat-making business in the Denver area.

A photo of Lee Keltner, the conservative Denver man who was shot in the face & killed by suspected @9NEWS unlicense… https://t.co/5K1LoFIETF
— Andy Ngô (@Andy Ngô)1602456799.0

"My son Lee was at the patriot rally today in Denver," Keltner's mother, Carole, wrote on the Northeast Arkansas Tea Party Facebook group, according to Fox News. "He was murdered because he backed the police."

Lee Keltner's sister told The New York Post that his son is not handling the death well.

"He was there," said Suzan Keltner. When she was asked if her nephew was doing okay, she said, "No, no he's not."

"He was my brother, my only sibling," she said. "He also served our country."

"There's going to be a lawsuit," Suzan Keltner added. "So, I don't know how much we can let out."

John "Tig" Tiegen, one of the organizers of the Patriot Rally event, offered his condolences to the family of the victim.

"I'm deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of a fellow American patriot after a rally in Denver on Saturday," Tiegen wrote. "Regardless of the circumstances, I want to send my deepest condolences to the family of the victim."

"It's tragic that Americans find themselves in danger just by coming together and showing support for their country," he added. "The fact that simple things like wearing patriotic attire now makes you a target in an American city should be a concern for every freedom-loving person. If Americans reach the point that they're afraid to publicly show support for their country, the radical Marxists have won."

1 dead, 2 in custody after fatal shooting in Denver near 'Patriot Rally' and BLM-Antifa counter-protest



Two suspects were taken into custody by police on Saturday afternoon after a person was shot and killed in downtown Denver.

An event dubbed the "Patriot Muster" rally organized by John "Tig" Tiegen was held at 2 p.m. at Denver's Civic Center Park. "It's time we let these communist socialists know we have had enough," a description of the event read. "Fight back, push back. Time to take our country back!"

Once the Denver Communists organization caught wind of the rally, they scheduled a counter-protest called the "BLM-Antifa Soup Drive."

"We scheduled our action after learning that the militia-fascists had called a 'patriot muster' against the Black Lives Matter movement, anti-fascists and Marxists," a spokesperson for Denver Communists said. "That's us — guilty as charged and happy to oblige with our presence."

"The plan is to set up our tables and tents in Civic Center Park, as near as we can be to the fascists," Denver Communists said. "We'll have soup for our family, music, speakers, communist books, and plenty of angry anti-fascist chants."

KUSA reporter Marc Sallinger was covering the rally and the counter-protest.

"Hello from downtown Denver where far-right militia groups are holding a rally," Sallinger wrote on Twitter. "Far-left Black Lives Matter Antifa groups are holding a counter protest nearby."

Police separated the two opposing groups with fences.

The far-right militia groups and far-left BLM/Antifa groups have been active on social media recently telling peopl… https://t.co/PBaniJ1inp
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1602359128.0


A couple hundred feet away a group with an “Antifacist Action” flag as well as a “Denver Communists” flag is at a s… https://t.co/E1dVeVjYzF
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1602361079.0


A line of police officers kneel down to put on gas masks, perhaps foreshadowing what’s to come. The officers are li… https://t.co/JyIUDTrpo8
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1602363252.0

At 5:48 p.m. EST, Denver Police's official Twitter account wrote: "Officers are investigating a shooting that occurred in the Courtyard by the Art Museum." The police said the shooting victim was transported to the hospital.

The Denver Police shared updates that two suspects were in custody, and that the shooting was "now being investigated as a Homicide."

"A man participating in what was billed as a 'Patriot Rally' that also included a presence of self-described BLM-Antifa protesters, sprayed mace at another man and that man shot him with a handgun," The Denver Post reported.

Video from the area shows an orange cloud of smoke or vapor followed by the sound of a gunshot. Footage shows Denver Police rush to the scene with guns drawn, then order two men to the ground, including a man dressed in all black with a handgun. Meanwhile, the victim lay motionless on the ground.

(CAUTION: Graphic video)

Shooting in Denver today. (10/10/2020) https://t.co/nq3wuZfcEB
— Austin Frisch (@Austin Frisch)1602368474.0


Here’s the scene outside the Denver library as police investigate a shooting following the rally #9News https://t.co/F7S0RVMQCv
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1602366937.0


Police Take 2 In Custody After Shooting During Dueling Protests https://t.co/14ofVGWit7 https://t.co/a5iOteIcko
— CBSDenver (@CBSDenver)1602367413.0


A man dressed in black appears to be walking away from the crime scene and yelling, "One less white f****** supremacist, right in the f****** dome!"

Another video features a person screaming, "Die fascist scum!"

Earlier in the day, rival protesters got in each others face. There were also agitators dressed in all black burning a thin blue line flag in front of Denver Police.

At one point, men dressed in all black with umbrellas scream at police for speaking to an older woman. The woman instructs everyone to "relax."

More Antifa/BLM celebrating the killing of a Trump Supporter.""white supremacist""right in the fucking dome" https://t.co/vI4MZCbIcU
— Austin Frisch (@Austin Frisch)1602369960.0


After the Denver shooting, unfazed, BLM/Antifa yell "Die Fascist Scum" https://t.co/eqKUf8ecZp
— Austin Frisch (@Austin Frisch)1602369855.0


Denver earlier https://t.co/CA2pS9tUi3
— Kitty Shackleford (@Kitty Shackleford)1602370218.0


Antifa militants are now harassing police in Denver who are trying to control the situation where a man was just sh… https://t.co/eANyfNwY0a
— Ian Miles Cheong (@Ian Miles Cheong)1602368114.0




Police attacked with fireworks during riots in Denver; family-owned business ravaged: 'Never seen anything like this'



Fires were ignited, property was destroyed, and businesses were damaged when riots broke out in Denver on Saturday night. Police officers were targeted with fireworks, a cop was reportedly injured after a bicycle was thrown at him, and a family-owned business was trashed by vandals.

A Reddit post shows that a "Give Em Hell" protest was scheduled for Saturday night, which demanded that the Denver Police Department be abolished, according to KDVR-TV. The post instructed demonstrators to "bring your gear."

Another group planned demonstrations aimed at defunding the police, ending homeless sweeps, stopping racism, and demanding justice for Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old black man who died in police custody in Colorado. The group said it was "there for vandalism and were done with peaceful protesting," according to The Denver Post.

A van dispensed shields to protesters. Rioters attempted to rip down a fence protecting the state Capitol building on Saturday night.

Protestors are pulling shields outside a van.@DenverChannel https://t.co/xMGWvNi3Eu
— adigtv (@adigtv)1598150292.0
Agitators are now trying to rip down a fence surrounding the state Capitol building @KDVR https://t.co/XbHlOkes0q
— Evan Kruegel (@Evan Kruegel)1598154494.0

KMGH-TV reporter Adi Guajardo and KUSA-TV reporter Marc Sallinger were covering the protests that escalated into destruction throughout the night. Vandals who were "mostly dressed in black" set fires to trees and the Denver Police Department station, burned American flags, broke windows of local businesses, and shot fireworks at police officers. A Denver police officer was injured after a man threw a bicycle at the cop while riding on a motorcycle. The perpetrator was arrested. Denver Police say nine people were arrested on Saturday.

A tree is on fire outside the courthouse. People are throwing rocks at a Sheriff’s Office van. Important to note, n… https://t.co/kjLPBvpzFI
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1598153945.0
Protestors have started two fires outside DPD. https://t.co/uAiqtDao2i
— adigtv (@adigtv)1598152529.0
A small fire is inside the gated area of DPD headquarters. https://t.co/0IAiQ697EF
— adigtv (@adigtv)1598152082.0
Protestors are throwing firecrackers at police after officer shot some kind of object. https://t.co/fProN7CdUy
— adigtv (@adigtv)1598151895.0
Protesters are firing fireworks at police officers. The fireworks are exploding behind the police barrier and aroun… https://t.co/A3ekHk7fOE
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1598152611.0
Wow. Someone just picked up and threw a bicycle at a Denver police officer riding by on a motorcycle. I don’t think… https://t.co/R4kkPGWX9S
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1598156538.0

A downtown Denver Quiznos sandwich shop, which has been family-owned for 12 years, was damaged from the rioting.

All the members of the family were cleaning up, and the owner said he had "never seen anything like this." The owner told Sallinger, "I don't even know where to start."

The ravaged Quiznos fast food restaurant was boarded up on Sunday morning.

Police put out another fire set in the middle of the road. The backdrop is the Denver city county building. The gro… https://t.co/ABkjjNehcZ
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1598154511.0
The crowd has dispersed. Lots of property damage. I’ll be back on #9News mornings tomorrow in the AM. Thanks for fo… https://t.co/uMAoSSgDfY
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1598159988.0
This is what some of the damage looks like this morning on the streets around Denver Police headquarters. Lots of b… https://t.co/Z6Lc7DWSOO
— Marc Sallinger (@Marc Sallinger)1598186879.0

Also on Saturday, left-wing and right-wing protesters clashed in Portland. The groups, which included Proud Boys and Antifa, fought each other with batons, shields, pepper spray, and paintball guns. Portland Police declared an "unlawful assembly" and Department of Homeland Security officials were called in.