MAYOR JOHNSTON: "I think there is a question of the difference between perception and reality, and that is part of what we have to address. I have folks who say, I don't like to come downtown. I don't feel safe. And I say, really, when did you come downtown... last? And they say 2021. I say, okay, well, it is a very different downtown than what you saw three years ago." Denver7 News #copolitics #dengovshow more

HAPPENING SOON: Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Police Chief Ron Thomas provide update on this weekend’s stabbings in downtown. @DenverChannel

Mayor says stabbings were rare incident. He says he is heartbroken for victims. He says while things are moving in the right direction, city will do more, including increasing police presence.

Guy walking by briefly interrupted the press conference, calling the mayor names and blaming Democrats for crime in Denver.

VIDEO: Here's the moment a man on the 16th Street Mall interrupted the press conference and started yelling at Mayor Johnston, calling him a "coward" and accused Democrat of "burning the city down." (WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE) @DenverChannel

Mayor Johnston told me he believes there is "certainly a political agenda...folks who want to politicize what we know is a fundamental public safety commitment." @DenverChannel #copolitics #dengov

@DenverChannel My wife and I wanted to check out 16th st in September. We walked one block past target then straight out. It was not safe, due to aggressive homeless, and extremely unpleasant with the construction. Recent events only reaffirm our concerns and dissatisfaction with downtown.

NYC rents continue to skyrocket – making living in gay male-desired neighborhoods too expensive for most of the community

@DenverChannel He's right about perception and reality. Problem is he's on the wrong side of it.

@DenverChannel Yeah it’s probably 100X worse now than in 2021. 🙄

@DenverChannel I’m in downtown often and it’s worse every time I go, far from the ‘vibrant’ picture he paints

@DenverChannel Yeah There’s stabbings, homelessness, needles and feces everywhere now.

@DenverChannel It is a very different downtown- it’s WORSE!

@DenverChannel True - 2021 no innocent shoppers on the 16th Street Mall at 5pm were getting their throats slashed or being stabbed. This guy is an idiot and needs to resign. Sorry Highlands moms and tech ceo bros.

@DenverChannel A buddy of mine lives a couple of blocks away from Union station in a condo he's had for nearly 2 decades. Went to grab coffee with him and told me how he and his daughter don't go out after dark any more...... Does his perspective count, mayor?

@DenverChannel A woman was stabbed to death at 16th and California at 5 o'clock on a Saturday.

@DenverChannel It gets progressively worse every year. It has not improved since 2021.