Man shoots 60 rounds in bar after ejection, injures employee

A Colorado judge has handed a 33-year-old man nearly a century-long sentence for firing 59 shots into a bar, hitting a bartender in the neck, after being expelled for a brawl.

Jimmy Cazares was found guilty in February on two attempted murder charges, along with unlawful possession of a firearm by an ex-offender and vandalism, plus other offenses, as noted by the Weld County District Attorney's Office.

On Wednesday, Weld County District Court Judge Annette Kundelius imposed a 96-year prison term on Cazares.

On November 30, 2024, police in Greeley, located about 60 miles away from Denver, were dispatched to Wyler's Pub and Brew following reports of gunfire.

Officers arrived to find a bartender wounded by several bullets, including a hit to the neck. Another woman, though not shot, was hurt for being "caught in the direct line of fire," according to prosecutors.

Investigations revealed that Cazares was ejected for fighting and returned about 40 minutes later to shoot 59 rounds into the establishment from outside.

"That night changed my life permanently," expressed one of the victims at the sentencing on Wednesday. "I could not have fathomed being shot at. I truly believe I experienced a temporary death."

"By sheer luck, the incident didn't result in fatalities that night," commented Deputy District Attorney Lacy Wells. "He fired at two women at a well-known community spot and showed a blatant disregard for human life."

The maximum sentence for the defendant was 134 years in jail.

"The impact didn't end when the shooting did," Wells remarked. "Those affected by this terrible and baseless crime will bear the mental, emotional, and physical scars for the rest of their lives."