Matthew Robert Dolloff is a Colorado. man who was named in a jail booking report as the security guard who shot and killed a man at dueling protests in Denver.
The shooting left a man affiliated with the Patriot Rally dead. 9News confirmed it had contracted with the security guard.
Social media filled up with criticism of the news station for hiring a guard with left-wing views. A review of the social media accounts of Matthew Dolloff shows that he did post left-wing comments, unleashing an expletive against President Donald Trump and sharing Occupy Democrats and protest-related posts. He also liked posts favorable to Bernie Sanders. However, most of his social media posts relate to livestock and selling honey, eggs, and turkeys for a local farm.
“We don’t know if they were a security guard or authorized to carry a weapon,” police commander Joe Montoya said of the suspect in the initial news conference from the scene, but police later confirmed the suspect was a “private security guard.”
According to 9News, a “Patriot Rally” was scheduled that day and was met by a counter protest called “BLM-Antifa Soup Drive.” A local talk show host claimed the man who died was part of the Patriot rally and was “defending himself with bear spray.” However, a series of dramatic photos show the man who died was touching the face of the guard and then sprayed the bear spray at him before the guard opened fire. You can see the photos throughout this story but be aware that they are graphic. The deceased man is a Patriot Muster Militia supporter who hasn’t yet been named, according to social media posts.
Montoya said it wasn’t clear whether the victim was at the Patriot Rally or not.
The jail booking sheet spells the suspected shooter’s name incorrectly as Matthew Doloff, 30. It says he was booked for first-degree murder, and no bond was allowed. He has a court date on October 12.
1. The Shooting Occurred in the Courtyard by the Art Museum; Dramatic Photos Show the Shooting
Talk show host Richard Randall wrote on Twitter, “I was interviewing a woman about 10 yards away when THIS happened. The man on the left had just left the event held by Tig & other patriots. He was defending himself with bear spray. He was shot in the face & has died. 2 suspects in custody.”
A series of photos published by Getty images show the security guard reaching toward the man who is later shot as the man reaches toward his face, with the man who is shot’s hand appeared to strike or touch the guard’s face before he fired. A cloud of orange spray appears in the air from the man who is shot as the guard fires before going to his knees with his hands up. Another photo shows the man who was shot spraying what appears to be bear spray before he’s shot. Next, you see the fatally wounded man lying on the ground, and police with guns drawn surrounding the guard. Here are more of the Getty photos:
In analyzing photos and video evidence, some people say they show the deceased man backing up before he was shot.
The man who died was wearing an American flag mask and a T shirt that said “BLM” and “f*cking…lives matter.” Because he’s wearing a vest, it’s not possible to read all of the saying on the shirt. He has tattoos on both arms.
“ALERT : Officers are investigating a shooting that occurred in the Courtyard by the Art Museum. 1 victim transported to the hospital their condition is unknown, 1 suspect in custody,” Denver police wrote on Twitter.
At about 3:30 p.m., the protest activity was starting to break up and people were starting to leave the park, when, at 3:37 p.m., officers working the event got on the air and indicated there were shots fired, a person down, and the suspect was in custody, Division Chief Joe Montoya said.
Both suspect and victim are white males. The name of the man who was shot has not yet been released.
2. Dolloff Sold Honey at Gun Shows, Posted Some Protest Photos, Made Anti-Trump Comments & Shared Occupy Democrat Posts
Matthew Robert Doloff’s last visible post on Facebook reads, “The grief is real, no one better checked my world view more, and his impressions were amazing. I cant seem to whip away the tears today Michael Brooks was to young and just getting started #leftisbest #michaelbrooks I’m going to miss right-wing Mandela this is hard to accept.”
He did have some anti-Trump rhetoric on his Facebook page. “F*** this guy,” he wrote of Trump in 2016.
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He called a reporter who posted a pro-Joe Biden headline an “establishment prick” on Twitter. Most of his Twitter posts deal with the farm where he worked and livestock, such as pictures of turkeys.
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He posted a video showing him at an Occupy Denver protest.
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When radio host Dan Caplis wrote, “The beauty of the Creator is seen in the beauty of creation-Catholic Catechism. The view from our DTC law office on a beautiful Spring morning in Colorado,” Dolloff tweeted this reply, “Ask him how I’m going to pay my bill and why he made this virus. Your an idiot ppl like your are the worst.” He wrote another person on Twitter, “should your handle be neoliberal? Who calls them self an Obama democratic your an embarrassment.” When former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke wrote a post about taking care of veterans, Dolloff responded, “HELL NO F you BETO we are already sick of paying for war f off.”
He liked a man’s tweet in 2016 that read, “Me and @BernieSanders. #FeelTheBern.” He also liked a woman’s tweet that read, “The confederate flag should be treated just like the swastika. #tytlive” and anti Trump and Ben Carson Tweets. He also liked a tweet that read, “Also, look at how cute these Bernie bumper stickers are. #tytlive.”
This is the video he shared,
Police invade Occupy Denver 22011-10-30T15:49:05Z
He shared Occupy Democrats posts, including one criticizing the slogan All Lives Matter and wrote FTP on another post.
In 2016, he posted a picture of a protest in which people were carrying signs that read things like “bailout our school system” and “this is about loving everyone. Even you, officer.” In 2017, he was tagged by Lavender Moon Farm, which wrote, “Thank you Tanner Gun Show!!” However, photos show he worked for that farm selling honey, eggs and other items at the gun show.
Other posts show him with his girlfriend and at a Colorado casino. In 2011, he shared a picture of people carrying a flag at an Occupy Denver march. He wrote, “Studies Pilitical (sic) Science at University of Colorado Denver.”
In 2018, he wrote, “can anyone copy edit my website.
http://www.lavendermoonfarm.com ? thanks just looking for errors.” He also posted pictures of him at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. He posted a BBC story about a man with “transracial identity.” It’s a story about a black man who felt like he was a white man. He didn’t indicate his position on it, though.
Dolloff wrote in 2018, “R.I.P. Charles Krauthammer I have both disagreed and agreed with your political analyst, you are an oddity in today’s world. We will miss your insight dearly.” He posted a graphic reading, “How to talk to your cat about gun safety.”
He wrote in 2018, “The State of the Union is depressed, exhausted, and broke.” That same year, he wrote of the farm, “We sell raw Wildflower and Clover honey. Head to our website to order yours today.”
In 2017, he wrote, “We had such a great time at the Tanner Gun Show this weekend. The next Denver Tanner Gun Show is December 2nd and 3rd.” He shared photos of puppies and livestock.
He occasionally got political but most of his posts are pictures of the above. In 2017, he shared a YouTube video titled “Trump wrestles the English language in WSJ interview.” Dolloff wrote, “I cant stop laughing.”
A picture showed him with a gun out hunting and he wrote, “Got to love Turkey season.”
In 2017, he wrote, in a typo-riddled post, “Lets juat hope no Russians where not on the ground when the missiles came down im Syria” He added, “See that’s where your wrong I don’t suport the strikes due to the price tag. I don’t like what we are buying also I just don’t want to start shit with Russia. I don’t doubt all this is for the pipeline that the UAE wants to go though siyria, Russia national security is at stake if the pipeline is put though. The Saudis and the UAE want Bashar out of their so they can get someone in to approve of the pipeline to supply natural gas to Europe. As a political science I really don’t give a shit about a video made to rally suport for a political agenda. My job is to analyze the facts and uncover the truth behind the connected dots.”
3. Police Denied Dolloff Is Affiliated With Antifa & Said there Was a ‘Verbal Altercation’ at the Scene
Police sought to dispel rumors about the suspect. People claimed on Twitter that Matthew Dolloff’s tattoo shows alliance with Antifa, but police disputed that. The wrist symbol is used by some members of Antifa, but it’s also an extremely popular video game that doesn’t have Antifa meaning to many. Another Twitter user dissected that claim and said that Dolloff had the tattoo before the symbol became popular with Antifa. “That’s not what the tattoo is though. This photo is from his facebook and it’s labeled ‘space invaders tat’ and apparently he got in 2012, which is way before the space invaders ‘antifa’ stuff. Sub.mission is a music promotion company that he’s affiliated with,” wrote that Twitter user.
“Update: Further investigation has determined the suspect is a private security guard with no affiliation with Antifa. Additional information will be released as it becomes available,” Denver police wrote on Twitter.
Montoya said Mace was recovered at the scene, and police are still trying to determine whether a rumor that the victim had used it was true, despite the photos clearly showing it was.
Division Chief Montoya provides update to the Homicide near the Denver Art Museum