Denver security guard, company lose licenses after tossing an aerosol grenade into crowd of protesters
Denver CO Feb 3 2021 A former Denver security guard and the company he worked for both lost their license to operate after he admitted tossing an “OC” grenade into a crowd of protesters and repeatedly pointing a gun at them, according to a Denver Department of Excise and Licenses release Monday.
Tyler J. Barrett accepted the settlement after admitting to violations of disturbing the peace, prohibited use of weapons, reckless endangerment, menacing and irritants. He turned in his license Jan. 8. His former company, Security Consultants LLC doing business as Helix TCS/Boss High Level Protection, also lost its license.
Both will have to wait at least five years before reapplying.
On May 30, Barrett and several security guards from Helix TCS and another company, Aquila Services Corp., were deployed by the building owner to protect 1509 Pearl St., according to an order to show cause filed by Denver Police in the incident.
About 10 p.m., a large crowd of social justice protesters moved down Colfax Avenue toward the property. The security guards were dressed in tactical gear (helmets, batons, gas masks, bulletproof vests) outside the building. One protester approached the security director of the property, thinking they were police. The director de-escalated the situation by telling the protester they were not police and there to protect the property. The protesters stayed across Colfax from the building and begin to pull down a barrier fence “at an abandoned property that the security guards were not deployed to protect.”
Witnesses saw Barrett step forward and throw an “ ‘OC’ grenade, which denotated in the group of protesters.” He was not ordered to throw the aerosol grenade, which is designed for indoor use and “not recommended for outdoor use,” according to a manufacturer.
“The response from the protesters was immediate and violent,” the order states, and they began throwing rocks and “other debris” while moving toward the guards and screaming.
“The guards were struck multiple times by the thrown rocks. One of the guards suffered a concussion after being struck in the head,” the order states. Except for Barrett, all the other guards retreated.
After a protester charged Barrett and grabbed him, he fell to the ground. He then stood up “with his gun drawn and aimed at the crowd.” Another guard from Helix TCS pointed an AR-15 at the crowd as other guards yelled at Barrett “Do not fire!” according to the order.
The crowd then set fire to a car that was in front of the building, as guards called for backup from Denver police. An Aquila security guard noticed an AR-15 rifle on the seat of Barrett’s car. Police dispersed the crowd.
In June, officials from Aquila and Helix TCS met to talk about the events, according to the order.
“When discussing the actions of the two of Respondent’s security guards that had drawn their guns and pointed them at protestors, a representative of Respondent (Helix TCS) indicated she was ‘proud’ of the way Barrett had conducted himself. She further indicated that Barrett had said of the incident ‘I had the right to shoot him (a protestor). But I wasn’t going to take someone’s life over a vehicle.”
Barrett did not return an email seeking comment. Security Consultants LLC CEO Zachary Venegas and CFO Scott Ogur were specifically prohibited from seeking another security business license for five years. Neither Ogur nor company attorney Robert Burk replied to an email seeking comment.
A Denver police spokesperson said Monday there are no pending criminal investigations against Barrett. A search of criminal records in Colorado shows no charges similar to those in the settlement against Barrett.
Department spokesman Eric Escudero said there are six administrative show cause cases related to security guard licenses “for incidents that occurred during the protests.
The highest profile involved the case of Matthew Dolloff, who allegedly shot and killed protestor Lee Keltner on Oct. 10. Dolloff was not licensed. He was employed by Pinkerton and Isborn Security.
Isborn agreed to a settlement and gave up its license for five years. A show cause hearing is scheduled for Pinkerton on Wednesday.
There are 5,868 active security guard licenses in Denver, Escudero said, and 208 private security guard employer licenses. Anyone doing security work in Colorado is required to be licensed.
