‘Lovable guy’ gunned down in Fort Collins alley

Randall Cargill was the kind of guy who would settle disputes with words, friends said.

“He was an all-around lovable guy who would take the shirt off his back and give it to a total stranger,” longtime friend Andrew Smith said. “He was always friendly and down to Earth… he had a huge heart.”

And on Tuesday night, he said, “the world lost a great person.”

A flurry of shots rang out about 10:50 p.m. Tuesday near a crowded Alley Cat Cafe, across the street from Colorado State University. As coffee drinkers and night owls milled around nearby restaurants, a man reportedly walked up to the 25-year-old and fired multiple shots — witnesses reported hearing a single blast followed by a hail of gunfire.

Bystanders rushed to Cargill’s aid and the shooter fled, apparently directly to the Larimer County jail to turn himself in. He was identified Wednesday as 26-year-old Andrew Michael Watkins of Fort Collins.

“I was standing in the alley, I saw a bigger guy pull out a gun. I took off running,’’ said Bram Creeden, one of at least a dozen people who filed police reports on what they saw or heard.

Many other residents reported seeing a group of “sketchy” people congregated near the parking lot moments before the shots rang out. Police have been called to the area multiple times in recent weeks on reports of transient issues.

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It was a wild end to a night in an otherwise calm area of Fort Collins — an area made calmer with an absent student population in summer.

Officers were dispatched at 10:52 p.m. to the recently renovated alley north of Laurel Street, between College Avenue and Mason Street. Witnesses gave emergency care to the badly injured man before crews from Poudre Valley Hospital EMS and Poudre Fire Authority arrived — dispatchers reported the man was not breathing and CPR was in progress.

Cargill was pronounced dead minutes later at Poudre Valley Hospital, approximately 2 miles away.

“The investigation this far has pointed this to two people who knew each other,’’ Sgt. Dean Cunningham with Fort Collins police said.

Watkins is believed to be the only suspect in the case and is being held on suspicion of second-degree murder.

Facebook profiles and public records suggest the men attended the same high school in Oklahoma, though additional connections were not immediately clear — some indicated the two appeared to have mutual friends.

“I'm certain (the fight) was something petty that could have been handled with words,” Smith said, describing the shooting as cowardly. “Randy was a natural diplomat and honest. If there was an issue, it easily could have been settled with words.”

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Police would not release information about the pair’s relationship or details about what may have led up to Tuesday's homicide. There do not appear to be any ties to gang or transient activity, Cunningham said. An investigation is ongoing.

Court documents have been sealed, and formal charges are pending. Watkins is next due in court Tuesday and is being held without bond at the Larimer County Detention Center, records show.

The Larimer County Coroner's Office performed an autopsy Wednesday morning and determined Cargill died after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.

Nearby businesses were cleared out during the investigation, and vehicles parked in the lots became part of the crime scene long into Wednesday. The 24-hour coffee spot temporarily closed its doors, indicated by a handwritten sign hung on the stairs.

Despite the proximity to campus, the university did not send any public safety alerts Tuesday night.

“In this situation, police determined that there was no threat to campus or to public safety based on investigative information available at the scene while the incident was unfolding,” said Dell Rae Ciaravola, CSU spokeswoman. A CSU-wide email was issued Wednesday afternoon explaining the rationale.

Crime scene investigators continued to work through the day processing evidence. Yellow evidence placards were scattered across the parking lot, and police cruisers blocked entrances and egresses in the area.

Anybody who may have witnessed the shooting is asked to contact Detective Gary Trujillo at 970-416-2645 or Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868. Crime Stoppers may also be reached through their web site at www.stopcriminals.org.

Reporter Adrian D. Garcia contributed to this report.

Reporter Jason Pohl covers breaking news for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @pohl_jason.

ORIGINAL STORY: One person fatally shot near CSU campus Tuesday night