Colorado & Denver News

AP Sports Writer Pat Graham contributed to this report.
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBS4/AP) ― Darrent Williams' family and friends gathered Friday to remember the charismatic Denver Broncos cornerback who never forgot his roots.

About 40 people gathered at the house where he grew up before attending a visitation for Williams, killed in a New Year's Day drive-by shooting in downtown Denver.

"If somebody just walked up and didn't know he got killed or passed or whatever, they would say, 'Aw, damn. Dee must be home,"' said 25-year-old cousin Monte Wayne.

"Because this is what you would see. There'd be nothing but family and friends," Wayne said as he stood on the curb outside Williams' grandmother's house.

The visitation at Great Commission Baptist Church was open to the public, as will Saturday's funeral. Shortly before Williams' copper-colored coffin was taken into the church, a man on horseback holding a Broncos flag trotted up and down in front of the building, which fits 2,300 people.

"I don't think it's going to hold everyone," said Carol Williams, an aunt of the Broncos player. "They say 'Yeah, Dee must be home. Play cards, play dominoes, fishfry, barbecue. Dee was just a grounded person, just so sweet."

The Broncos will fly to Fort Worth on Saturday for the funeral, where coach Mike Shanahan and owner Pat Bowlen are expected to be among the speakers. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Mike Haynes, the league's vice president of player development, also will attend the funeral.

The NFL announced Friday it would return a $15,000 fine levied against Williams for arguing with an official in a Nov. 19 game against San Diego. League spokesman Greg Aiello said the money would be turned over to the Broncos to return to Williams' family.

Williams was killed and two other passengers wounded when at least 14 shots were fired into the stretch Hummer that had just left a New Year's Eve party. Williams was struck once in the neck.

A rally in his memory was also held in downtown Denver. Community members and Broncos fans at the march said that they are concerned about the violence in the city and want people to be able to feel safe again.

"We want people to be able to go out on the town and celebrate and party without fearing for our lives," marcher Joy Walker told CBS4.

Also on Friday police in Denver were interviewing people who were at a nightclub Williams visited New Year's Eve before he was killed.

Investigators have talked to "numerous people that could possibly be witnesses and people that definitely are witnesses, and we will continue to do so because we continue to receive information," Detective Virginia Quinones said Friday. They arrested a 23-year-old man Friday and plan to question him about the shooting death.

Investigators also have obtained a warrant to search a 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe seized Thursday. Police believe the SUV, found in a remote neighborhood of snow-covered empty lots and industrial construction sites east of Denver, might have been used in the shooting. It had been partially spray-painted black, and the Tahoe's license plates also matched the one sought by investigators.

Police won't disclose whether they know the motive for the slaying but have said there was an altercation at the nightclub.

A person close to the investigation told The Associated Press the SUV is registered to Brian K. Hicks of Denver, who is jailed on unrelated drug and attempted murder charges. The person declined to be identified, because state law prohibits officials from identifying whom a vehicle is registered to.

Quinones would not comment whether Hicks had agreed to be interviewed or whether gang involvement was suspected in Williams' death.

Hicks, 28, has been jailed since Nov. 9 on a charge of possessing drugs with intent to distribute. He also is accused of shooting at a woman who was later killed a week before she was to testify against him.

Hicks was in custody the day of the shooting, but police want to know who was using the vehicle in the early morning hours of New Year's Day.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)