95-Year-Old Colorado Man Shoots Assisted Living Worker Who Owed Him Money

A 95-year-old resident in an assisted-living center near Denver was arrested on Wednesday, February 3, for the fatal shooting of an employee at the center who may have owed him money, according to police.

The shooting took place in the lobby of the Legacy Assisted Living Facility in Lafayette around 7:00 A.M. Reuters reports.

Deputy Police Chief Brian Rosipajla told reporters that the victim was arriving for work when he was confronted by resident Okie Payne.

Payne then pulled out a handgun and fired one round, fatally shooting the worker, said Rosipajla.

The worker's name has not been revealed but he was a man in his 40s and the facility's maintenance director.

When two people came to help the victim after he'd been shot, Payne pointed his gun at them before returning to his room where he was later arrested.

The victim was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead hours later.

Rosipajla said police are currently investigating what led to the shooting.

"All we know right now is it was supposedly over money," he said.

Legacy released a statement through its management company calling the shooting a "senseless act" and announced the facility was making grief counselors available to both residents and staff.

The victim had worked there for eight years and the company said he was "truly beloved by residents and staff."

Payne was held without bond at Boulder County jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and two counts of felony menacing for pointing the weapon at the two people who tried to help the victim, according to Rosipajla.

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