The Pueblo County coroner has identified the victims of two separate homicides that occurred on Sunday.

Victim 1: AaLiyah Chacon

AaLiyah Chacon, a 26-year-old woman, was shot in the vicinity of U.S. Highway 50 and Interstate 25 in the early hours of Sunday morning. Despite being rushed to a local hospital, she succumbed to her injuries.

Victim 2: Michael Edward Rivas

Michael Edward Rivas, aged 31, was also fatally shot on Sunday in an unrelated incident.

At this time, the police have not publicly disclosed any information regarding potential suspects for either case.

Shooting Incident on West U.S. Highway 50

Authorities were alerted to a shooting incident in the 700 block of West U.S. Highway 50 at approximately 12:25 a.m. on Sunday. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers discovered evidence of gunshots being fired. Witnesses informed the officers that a vehicle had fled the scene.

Eye Witness Account

Shortly after the incident, the police department received a call from an individual claiming to have been present in a vehicle at the time of the shooting. According to the caller, an unidentified man and AaLiyah Chacon had sustained gunshot wounds. Both victims were rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately, Chacon did not survive.

Shooting Incident on Catalpa Street

Later that same day, at around 3:12 p.m., the police responded to a report of another shooting incident in the 1200 block of Catalpa Street. Upon arrival, they located a man with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

During the investigation, it was discovered that a second victim, identified as Michael Edward Rivas, had been dropped off at a local hospital with apparent gunshot wounds. Despite medical personnel’s attempts to save him, Rivas ultimately lost his life. The coroner has conducted an autopsy on Rivas, and the families of both victims have been notified.

Appealing for Information

The police are urging anyone with information about Michael Edward Rivas’ murder to contact their dispatch at 719-553-2502 or Detective Phil Vigil at 719-553-3354.

If you have any information regarding AaLiyah Chacon’s murder, please reach out to the Pueblo Police Department’s dispatch or Detective Ryan Torres at 719-553-3335.

To provide anonymous tips, you can contact Pueblo Crime Stoppers at 719-542-STOP (719-542-7867) or visit pueblocrimestoppers.com. Valuable information leading to a felony arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.

Rising Homicide Rate

The city of Pueblo has witnessed a concerning increase in homicides, with three reported within the first week of 2024. Last year, the city had a total of 26 homicides, while the county recorded 28.

Contact Information

For any questions, comments, or story tips, please contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) @jayreutter1. Support local news by subscribing to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.