THORNTON, Colo. – A Topgolf employee in Thornton, Colorado, is facing charges after allegedly shooting and killing a coworker in the business’s parking lot on December 23. According to a probable cause affidavit, the suspect, Victor Salazar-Guarache, clocked out early that day and waited in the parking lot for an hour before ambushing the victim and firing 12 rounds at him. The victim, Bryce Holden, 22, later died at a hospital from his injuries.
Witnesses reported that Salazar-Guarache appeared to laugh as he left the scene after shooting Holden and firing at another coworker. Salazar-Guarache is facing a first-degree murder charge and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shooting in Adams County District Court. Thornton police officers responded to the scene at 12:50 a.m. on December 23, where they found Holden after receiving a call about a man being shot in the Topgolf parking lot.
Investigators learned that both Salazar-Guarache and Holden were dishwashers at Topgolf. Salazar-Guarache left work early at 11:42 p.m., and the kitchen manager was unaware of the reason for his early departure. After an hour of waiting in the parking lot, Salazar-Guarache allegedly opened fire as Holden and the kitchen manager closed the kitchen and walked to their cars. Salazar-Guarache continued shooting even after Holden fell, firing a total of 12 rounds before the kitchen manager managed to escape back to the business.
After the shooting, Salazar-Guarache fled the scene but was later found and taken into custody by Larimer County deputies a few hours later. A preliminary hearing for Salazar-Guarache is scheduled for March 29.
The tragic shooting has left the Topgolf community and the city of Thornton in shock. The details of the incident are still being investigated as the community grapples with the senseless violence that occurred that night. The loss of young Bryce Holden has deeply impacted those who knew him, and the suspect’s actions have raised questions about workplace safety and the potential factors that led to this horrific incident.