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In a dreadful development that came on the heels of a high-spirited celebration, a shooting occurred near Denver's Ball Arena after the Nuggets clinched their first-ever NBA championship early Tuesday morning.

The Denver shooting after the Nuggets game has left nine individuals wounded, with police suspecting the incident is tied to a drug deal gone awry.

A Denver shooting after the Nuggets' game : A Night of Triumph Turns Tragic

Fans were reveling in the streets, marking the Nuggets' triumphant 94-89 victory over the Miami Heat, when the joy was disrupted by the distressing incident.

Police report that the shooting happened approximately three and a half hours after the game, in the area that had drawn the largest throng of spectators, although the crowd had noticeably thinned by the time the shots were fired.

Police Response and Ongoing Investigation

"The shooting is still under investigation," confirmed Denver Police spokesperson Doug Schepman, highlighting the complexity of the circumstances leading to the shootout.

"We had a significant police presence in the immediate area when the shooting happened, enabling a swift response," he added.

A total of 20 rounds were discharged during the Denver shooting after the Nuggets game, with investigators recovering five handguns and small bags of fentanyl pills at the scene.

Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas affirmed that the evidence, including large quantities of cash, strongly suggested a drug nexus.

 Wounded and Arrests Made

Among the wounded is 22-year-old Ricardo Miquel Vazquez, a suspect who was subsequently arrested on charges of possession of a weapon by a previous offender and possession of a controlled substance.

An additional man, 33-year-old Raoul Gottfried Jones, who escaped unscathed, was also arrested on similar weapon possession charges.

"It appears that several of the victims were likely involved in the incident," stated Denver Police Commander Matt Clark, while also asserting that about five or six of the injured individuals were "entirely innocent bystanders."

Denver Health Medical Center staff treated five individuals, all listed in fair condition. "We managed to rapidly triage these patients, identify the most seriously injured, and promptly get them to the operating room," trauma surgeon Dr. Eric Campion noted.

Despite the grim occurrence, the city's celebratory parade is still slated for Thursday morning, marking a determined spirit to overcome adversity in the face of celebration.