Thanksgiving weekend’s brutal cold set off a grim start to the holidays for people living outside.

Four men died over a 24-hour period in downtown Denver amid the freezing weather this weekend.

The cause of death for all four is still under investigation, according to Denver police, but a spokesperson said that they were found alone.

The first death occurred in the 2400 block of North Alcott Saturday night and the second man died near 17th and Wewatta. The third death happened Sunday morning, around 7:30 a.m. in the area of Colfax and St. Paul. The fourth death happened at Broadway and Bayaud Sunday afternoon.

Little was known about the men’s identities or circumstances, Denver police said.

Temperatures dipped into the low teens Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Denver metro area, but snow has moved out and a slight warm-up is expected during the day, with highs approaching the upper-30s as the week begins.

Overnight lows will remain dangerously cold, settling into the low 20s.

Day shelter over-capacity with extended hours

The St. Francis Day Shelter, which normally closes its doors at 3 p.m. daily, extended its hours until 9 p.m. over the weekend so that men and women have a place to get in out of the cold.

Miguel Jiminez, who does core services for St. Francis, said that the shelter is over-capacity.

“Most of the people here today are well-clothed with jackets, hats, and scarves,” said Jiminez. “It’s pretty crowded in here, but not many of them are fighting.”

At night, some of the day residents are bused to the Denver Coliseum to sleep. But many, Jiminez said, “stay out in their tents because they don’t want their belongings stolen.”

He said that the shelter’s day shop is running low on donations and that St. Francis needs men’s and women’s warm boots, gloves, and hand warmers.

St. Francis Day Shelter is at 2323 Curtis St. in downtown Denver.