Denver officials gave homeless residents of an encampment site near Logan Street and 18th Avenue until 7 a.m. Thursday to move elsewhere.

The city issued the notice for the cleanup on Tuesday.

A shooting Monday that injured two homeless people in the encampment likely prompted the sweep. The shooting occurred at 1:30 p.m. the Denver police said. Authorities asked the public to help locate Eugeneo Hinojosa, 55, in connection with the shooting. 

Denver searching for suspect in attempted double homicide

Authorities said the victims lived in a nearby homeless camp and added they were not part of a disturbance that preceded the shooting.

When asked if the shooting and cleanup were related, Denver spokesman Derek Woodbury replied, “The city makes decisions about encampments based on specific facts and circumstances. In response to significant public health and safety concerns at 17th and Logan on Monday, Aug. 21, we are proceeding with an emergency closure of this encampment effective Thursday at 7 a.m.”

On Wednesday, residents at the Logan Street encampment packed personal belongings and carried them down the street – but many seemed to stay put. City officials were also onsite, inspecting the area.

“We don’t want to move,” a resident, who only identified himself as “Junior,” told the Denver Gazette. “I don’t know where I am going next. I think a lot of us are going to be scattered. We sometimes work together, and sometimes we work on our own.”

As he was packing up, “Junior” mentioned that he and other friends don’t know or don’t want to go to a shelter, which the city provided referrals for when giving a sweep notice.

“It all depends on if I am going to a shelter,” he said when asked where he plans to go next. “I am tired of being treated like a pig.”

A homeless woman, who is eight months pregnant told The Denver Gazette she had to move down the street with all her stuff. 

City officials cited efforts to offer shelter referrals.

“The city is providing referrals to shelter resources, both written and verbal for unhoused individuals at this encampment,” Woodbury said. “City outreach teams are working closely at this encampment to connect unhoused residents with resources and referrals to shelter, and to ensure that people know that they have a place to go. This outreach began on Tuesday and will continue until tomorrow’s cleanup begins.”

During the city’s last sweep on Aug. 4 at 22nd and Stout streets, Johnston administration officials admitted they had nowhere to send the homeless people to. The new mayor has vowed to get 1,000 homeless people off the streets and into shelters by the end of 2023.

Johnston’s emergency homeless declaration – signed July 18 during his first day in office – was extended to Sept. 18 Monday by the city council. 

The mayor planned on showing up to talk with homeless people at La Alma park Wednesday afternoon, according to Housekeys Action Network, a homeless outreach group.

The meeting was canceled at the last minute, the outreach group said.

“It’s bad enough with the sweeps,” said Andy McNulty, a member of Housekeys Action Network. “When it happens with this amount of notice is a real problem. It’s hard for people to move.”

Ana Gloom, another member of the group, said many homeless people don’t like going to shelters after sweeps, claiming shelters don’t provide certain medical resources for people who are coming from encampments or off the streets.

City shelter referrals being given to homeless people are for warehouse sites, according to Gloom.

“People would already be there if they wanted to,” she said.

The city maintained that beds are available. 

“Denver has a strong network of shelter facilities, with empty beds available,” Woodbury said. “All residents of our city deserve to feel safe, and our work today underscores the importance of the efforts the city is making to address the homeless crisis in our city.”