Denver City Wire

A person of interest in connection with the Table Mountain Townhomes complex fire on Sept. 16 is now in the custody of the Golden Police Department.

At about 11 p.m., 48-year-old James Gambrell Jr. turned himself into the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.  The authorities confirmed that Gambrell also surrendered an AR-15 and a pistol.

"Gambrell will be processed and interviewed by the Golden Police Department and the Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office tonight," a Sept. 16 press release states. "The Golden Police Department issued a LookOutAlert through the Jefferson County Communications Center Authority (JeffComm 911) to community members in the area today urging them to report any sightings of Gambrell as he was suspected to be armed. A LookOutAlert update will be sent to community members now that Gambrell has turned himself into authorities and is no longer a threat to the public.  More information about specific charges will be released when available. There will be no further updates overnight."

On the basis of complaints of felony threatening, the Golden Police Department was called to Building A of the Table Mountain Townhomes complex, at 17250 W. Colfax Ave. in Golden. According to reports, a neighbor connected to unit 103 punched a hole in a neighbor's wall and shoved a pistol through the opening. The victim was able to establish there was a hole in the wall with a tactical light beaming through it when Golden police officers got on the scene. When police were called to investigate claims of threatening behavior, they first spoke with the victim before visiting the next-door residence. They first observed an orange glow and melting drapes in the apartment at that time, FOX31 Denver reported.

Shaun Todd discussed the event with the media. He mentioned that the pounding on the wall had been happening several days prior to the incident, and he called the police on Sept. 15 to complain about the noise. However, when the police came and knocked on Todd's neighbor's door, nobody answered.

"Pounding on the wall, pounding on the wall, and then all of a sudden a hammer comes through my wall," Todd told 9News. "He reached through to make the hole bigger and then he stuck an assault rifle. All I could see was the barrel to the gun and the flashlight on top of the gun that he stuck through the wall and pointed at us." 

When asked by FOX31 what did he think when he saw the gun into the wall, Todd said it was "fight or flight" as he knew it was a threat.

"Run," Todd said. "It was a big enough gun that it’s going to go through the drywall and the doors to run for my life."

Gambrell is reportedly booked on three charges of attempted homicide, three counts of felony menacing and one act of arson, according to 9News.