Police: Verbal altercation leads to shooting in Longmont Sunday night

Two men have been arrested following a verbal altercation that reportedly escalated to a shooting at 310 Martin St. in Longmont on Sunday night.

Corey Abeyta, 22, is facing the charges of felony menacing – intimidation; disorderly conduct – discharge firearm in a public place; prohibited use of weapons; and violation of a protection order.

Abeyta was arrested alongside a 23-year-old friend who is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and prohibited use of a weapon — both class 1 misdemeanors. He is set for an arraignment on Aug. 15 and is currently out of custody after posting a his $3,000 bond, according to court records.

Corey Abeyta (Courtesy of Boulder County Coroner’s Office)

According to an affidavit, at 10:21 on Sunday, Longmont police responded to a report of a shooting at 310 Martin St.

While speaking with two victims, one told police they got into a verbal altercation with Abeyta at the intersection of Third Avenue and Martin Street after Abeyta asked them if they were laughing at him.

One of the victims said he was “keeping his eye” on Abeyta and Abeyta’s friend because he had issues with people setting up camps in the greenway area, on the north side of Third Avenue, near his business at 310 Martin Street.

The victim told police the verbal altercation escalated when Abeyta called the victim a racial slur, which led the victim to confront him. After the victim and Abeyta argued back and forth for several moments, Abeyta reportedly lifted up his waistband and pulled out a handgun, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Abeyta pointed the handgun at the victim and the victim responded, “if you have a gun you better use it.”

In the surveillance footage from the victim’s business, a man in a “black muscle-jersey like shirt”, black sweats and white shoes is shown arguing with the victim, according to the affidavit. The footage then shows the man put his hand in his waistband and pull out a “firearm-like object.” The man is recorded raising both arms forward towards the ground before a loud pop is heard that is consistent with a gunshot, police wrote.

Abeyta reportedly shot a single round, according to the police. The victim could not recall which direction Abeyta pointed the firearm before shooting.

A single 9mm shell casing was located by police at the scene, according to the affidavit.

Following the shooting, the victims fled and Abeyta and his friend reportedly walked eastbound on Third Avenue. Police later located two men at the intersection of East Fourth Avenue and Lashley Street in Longmont which matched the description to the men shown in the video, according to police. Once police contacted both men, Abeyta’s friend was found to have a 9mm handgun in his front waistband and did not have a concealed carry permit.

Abeyta confirmed the altercation occurred but denied ever having the firearm or drawing it from his waist line.