Inset: Jimmy Cazares (Weld County District Attorney”s Office). Background: Wyler’s Pub and Brew in Greeley, Colorado (KUSA).
A Colorado man has been handed a nearly century-long prison sentence for a violent outburst that saw him fire 59 shots into a bar, injuring a bartender. The incident unfolded after the man was ejected from the venue for fighting.
Jimmy Cazares, 33, was convicted on multiple charges in February, including two counts of attempted murder, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, and criminal mischief. The Weld County District Attorney’s Office confirmed these details. On Wednesday, Judge Annette Kundelius of the Weld County District Court sentenced Cazares to 96 years in prison.
The shooting occurred on November 30, 2024, at Wyler’s Pub and Brew in Greeley, located approximately 60 miles northeast of Denver. Responding officers discovered a bartender suffering from several gunshot wounds, one of which was to the neck. Although another woman present was not physically shot, she was injured due to being directly in the line of fire, according to prosecutors.
Investigations revealed that Cazares was expelled from the bar following a fight. He returned about 40 minutes later and unleashed a barrage of 59 bullets from outside the establishment.
During the sentencing hearing, one victim shared the profound impact of the event, stating, “My life changed forever that night. I never could have imagined I was being shot at. I firmly believe I died for a brief moment.”
Cazares was also convicted on charges related to drug offenses.
“It’s only by the grace of God that no one was killed that night,” Deputy District Attorney Lacy Wells said. “He gunned down two women at a local, community establishment and clearly has no respect for human life.”
The defendant was facing up to 134 years in prison.
“Damage didn’t stop when the bullets stopped,” Wells said. “These victims of this horrific and senseless crime will live with the mental, emotional and physical damage the rest of their lives.”
