Report: Alleged Leader Of Group Busted For Guns Tried To Get Balcony Room Near All-Star Game

A man police say is the ringleader of a group of suspects arrested after a cache of weapons and tactical gear was found at a Denver hotel sought an extra room with a balcony near this week's MLB All-Star Game, according to police.

Days before the game, an employee discovered dozens of weapons and ammunition at a Denver-area hotel, although one of the suspects told police there was no plan to harm MLB fans or anyone else, OutKick's Anthony Farris previously reported.

Yahoo Sports reports that Denver police released arrest affidavits on Monday alleging that Ricardo Rodriguez asked to extend his stay at the Maven Hotel and requested the additional room with a balcony after he was scheduled to check out on Friday. The All-Star Game was Tuesday evening.

Rodriguez was one of four suspects arrested on Sunday after authorities found 16 long guns, body armor and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in a hotel room. Police also found a high-capacity magazine, a duty belt and a ballistic vest in a car belonging to one of the suspects, according to an affidavit, Yahoo Sports reports.

Police had feared a “Las Vegas-style shooting” upon finding the weaponry in close proximity to Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game at Coors Field. However, an FBI spokesperson said on Sunday that they were not "aware of any threat" to the game or links to terrorism from the arrests, and Denver police said they would continue to investigate.

Arrest reports released on Monday noted a "propensity for mass casualty incidents" in similar scenarios.

“It should be noted that this information was concerning to officers due to the location of the rifle, ballistic vest, duty belt and requesting a room with a balcony coupled with the fact that the 2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game events happening in the immediate area of the hotel,” an arrest report stated, per the Denver Post. “There is a propensity for mass casualty incidents in scenarios such as the above where many people are gathered together in a small area for a single event.”

Rodriguez told CBS Denver from jail Sunday night that many of the guns belonged to Richard Platt and that he believed Platt planned to trade and sell them. He said he said he was not aware of any plans of violence.

“He had a lot of guns, he did,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know what his intentions were from my understanding selling them and trading them. That was about it.”

All four suspects remained in jail on Monday, per The Associated Press. 

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