Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds shot in Denver in apparent mistaken-identity attack
Officials say Reynolds was targeted after attackers believed he resembled a man who scammed them out of $250,000 in cocaine; multiple suspects have been charged in the case.
New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds was shot in the back of the head and in the left leg outside a Denver strip club last year after a group followed him from the venue and opened fire. Authorities say the assailants believed Reynolds resembled a man who defrauded them of about $250,000 worth of cocaine.
Reynolds was with the Denver Broncos in 2024 when the incident occurred. Investigators described the attack as calculated and carefully coordinated, with four vehicles trailing Reynolds from the club and dozens of rounds fired at him and his entourage. Reynolds' friends were injured as well — one friend was shot in the back and another was struck by shattered glass. The shooting has prompted a broader investigation into a possible coordinated effort, and prosecutors have characterized the event as more than a random crime.
Seven adults and a juvenile have been arrested on attempted murder charges in connection with the case, while an eighth suspect remained at large, according to the Denver Post. One defendant, Burr Charlesworth, pleaded guilty to felony assault and received a ten-year prison sentence. Prosecutors said Charlesworth told authorities his plan was to locate the people who scammed him and retaliate.
The case has raised questions about how the mistaken identity occurred, and authorities have not publicly explained in detail why Reynolds was targeted. Investigators described the sequence as a calculated effort, with prosecutors calling it a deliberate attempt to harm Reynolds and others in his group.
Reynolds has not spoken extensively about the shooting in public. After a June practice with the Jets, he said he had moved past the episode and was focused on the season ahead, noting that dwelling on the incident could hinder his performance. The 30-year-old wide receiver signed a one-year contract with the Jets in the spring, worth up to $5 million, after spending the previous season with the Broncos and earlier time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jets have continued to support Reynolds as he resumes his NFL career, and league observers have emphasized the importance of player safety in light of the Denver investigation. While the name of the suspected scammer whose conduct sparked the pursuit remains central to the case, authorities have stressed that Reynolds himself had no involvement and was a victim of mistaken identity during the confrontation.