Suspect in deadly shooting of Lakewood agent was released from detention last month

The suspect in the deadly shooting of a Lakewood police agent was released last month from the Broomfield Detention Center, the Broomfield Police Department confirmed to Denver7 on Monday.

Gabriel Garcia, 34, allegedly shot and killed Agent Nicholas Graham, 33, on an RTD bus near West Colfax Ave. and Wadsworth Blvd. on Thursday night. Three other agents and a bystander were also hurt.

Denver7 Investigates learned that Garcia is a parolee with a lengthy criminal history.

Watch below: Suspect in deadly shooting on RTD bus has lengthy criminal history

According to Broomfield police, Garcia was a passenger in a truck involved in a hit-and-run collision on Sept. 28. A Broomfield officer stopped the vehicle shortly after, and Garcia was identified as one of the four people inside the truck.

Police said that officers conducted records checks on the driver and passengers, and determined that Garcia had an active, no-bond warrant through Colorado Parole. He was arrested and issued a misdemeanor summons after allegedly giving officers an incorrect name.

Im told Broomfield police are set to release a statement any moment now. After looking at the suspects history, Broomfield police seem to be the last department to have arrested him - just weeks before the shooting.

Later than evening, Broomfield police said the Broomfield Detention Center received an official detainer/hold form from the Colorado Department of Corrections for Garcia. On Oct. 20, 2026, the Broomfield Detention Center received a release authorization form directing Garcia's release, with instructions for him to report to the Westminster Parole Office on Oct. 21.

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Denver7 took a closer look at what led up to this tragedy. Records from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation detail Garcia's lengthy history with the law and all over the Denver metro, from the City and County of Denver to Jefferson, Arapahoe and Adams counties.

Garcia pleaded guilty to felony assault in 2017 and began serving a 10-year sentence.

Those records show Garcia was out of prison again in 2023 and racked up new charges.

Most recently, he was on parole for felony trespassing, then was arrested again less than six weeks ago by Broomfield police for a warrant.

"We can confirm that Gabriel Garcia was released to mandatory parole supervision on September 23, 2026, and was under the supervision of the Colorado Department of Corrections, Division of Adult Parole, at the time of the incident," said a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Corrections in a statement. "Garcia was sentenced on April 22, 2026, in Adams County ... for First-Degree Criminal Trespass of an Inhabited Dwelling. He received a one-year sentence in the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections, followed by one year of mandatory parole, with 149 days of credit for presentence confinement."