AURORA, CO – A Colorado man, Eugene Robertson, 40, has been sentenced to 143 years in prison after a series of violent incidents that began at a Burger King drive-thru. Robertson was found guilty on eight charges, including attempted murder with extreme indifference, felony menacing, illegal discharge of a firearm, harassment, reckless endangerment, and possession of a controlled substance, according to a statement from the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office.
The events unfolded on the night of October 17, 2022, when Robertson attempted to pay for his meal at a Burger King drive-thru with drugs. When the employee refused to accept the illicit substance as payment, Robertson brandished a firearm at the worker and then fled the scene.
Shortly after this incident, police were called to a shooting at a 7-Eleven convenience store located across the street from the Burger King. Witnesses reported that a man had entered the store, pointed a gun at the clerk, and fired at a surveillance camera before shooting towards another individual and his girlfriend in the parking lot. Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident.
As police were searching for the suspect, they received another emergency call from a woman in an apartment building nearby. She reported that a man, later identified as Robertson, was knocking on her door and had fired shots when she refused to open it. Despite multiple people being present in the apartment, no one was injured.
Police apprehended Robertson after a brief chase when he was spotted on foot near the apartment building. Eric Ross, a spokesman for 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner, stated that the 143-year sentence was appropriate given the severity of Robertson’s crimes and the fear he instilled in multiple victims over the course of a single evening.
In the aftermath of the incidents, witnesses provided further insight into Robertson’s behavior. The Burger King employee reported that he feared for his life when Robertson attempted to pay with drugs, while a witness at the 7-Eleven described Robertson as behaving unusually, talking about God, and carrying a Bible.
Prior to these events, Robertson had a criminal history, including a sentence of 84 months for felony distribution of crack cocaine. At the time of his arrest in 2022, there was an outstanding warrant related to a March 2021 incident involving a car crash and shooting.