Family of bouncer killed outside bar says he always stood for what’s right

DENVER — A cluster of candles and pictures sits along a bustling Denver walkway in between bars and restaurants to honor Federales Denver bouncer Todd Kidd, who was shot and killed while working last week.

Around 6:40 p.m. on July 10, Kidd intervened in a disturbance outside of the bar when he was shot. He died in the hospital two days later.

Steven “Echo” Marquez, 14, was arrested on Tuesday in Casper, Wyoming, in connection with the shooting.

“We didn’t expect that. It’s quite shocking to know that they were up in Casper, which is our hometown,” said Ginger Kidd, Todd’s sister. “Lives have been changed on both sides, and I think that’s just senseless. It’s senseless and it’s sad.”

Todd was the middle child, growing up with a younger brother and Ginger as the oldest. Todd was around 10 years old when the family moved from Casper to Fort Collins.

“We’d have our sibling fights and our rivalries, and I usually won until he turned 13, and then he started kicking my butt,” Ginger said with a laugh. “He knew what he wanted to do and he would do it, regardless of whether we liked it or anyone else liked it. If he liked it, he would do it… Followed his own path, and he did that from when we were young to the day he died.”

Todd grew into a star hockey player, joining the University of Denver hockey team in college. A dynamic personality, Todd was an artist in addition to an athlete.

Jaimie Williams-Dawson

“Even from when we were young, he wanted people to do the right thing,” Ginger said.

Ginger lives in Australia but flew to Colorado as soon as she could after learning her brother had been shot.

“It was very hard, very hard, very traumatic,” Ginger said. “He was in the surgical ICU at Denver Health, and they did a great job. They really did everything that they could to give him every chance of life… I arrived on Friday morning and he passed Friday afternoon during a life-saving procedure that didn’t work… I do believe that he knew that we were there, I do.”

When asked what question Ginger wants answered, one thing came to mind.

“Maybe coming from outside of the US, it’s, how does it happen that a 14-year-old gets access to that kind of weapon?” Ginger asked. “It’s just, again, disbelief, and the fact that this happens with such young children. And that people are helping children flee from being caught is also the other side of humanity. That there’s a lack of care and there’s a lack of responsibility, and there’s a lack of accountability.”

Ginger has also seen a positive side of humanity over the past week.

“We go from intense shock to grief to disbelief to seeing this overwhelming support that Todd had, and hearing all these stories about him and feeling a real sense of pride about our brother. And also seeing the community that has rallied around has been actually quite inspiring to see. And it really makes me think that there is some real good in the community and in humanity when I see the outpouring that has happened as a result,” Ginger said.

Ginger said Todd was like a superhero to his nephews and niece, who are between the ages of seven and 13. She hopes they remember their uncle as a man who always stood up for what was right.

Jaimie Williams-Dawson

“He was just a good human. He really was. And his moral compass was on point always,” said Ginger. “I think this last situation that he found himself in, he was doing just that. Once again, he was stepping in where he saw an injustice, or where he saw something that wasn’t right, or someone not behaving the way that they could or should, and it was just disrupting the community, and that was typically a place where he would step in and he did. It was just unfortunate that this is the last time he’s going to be able to do it.”

The family is planning a memorial for Todd in August, the same day as what would have been their mother’s 75th birthday. An online fundraiser aims to raise $50,000 to help with funeral expenses and any other costs the family encounters as a result of Todd’s death.