Aurora – One man is dead and another was being sought today after an Aurora police officer exchanged gunfire with the occupants of a car late Thursday.
Classes are canceled today at St. Therese Catholic Elementary School, which is located near the scene of the shooting. School is in session at nearby Kenton Elementary.
The shooting occurred around 10:45 p.m. after an officer ran a license-plate check on a maroon Toyota near East Colfax Avenue and Kenton Street in north Aurora. Police believed that the car had been stolen in Lakewood.
According to police, the officer followed the car to East 12th Avenue and Kenton. The officer then got out of his vehicle and approached the Toyota.
Then, police say, someone inside the car started shooting. The officer shot back. Then the car took off, eventually crossing into Denver.
Officers found the car at East 11th Avenue and Verbena Street in Denver. One unidentified man was declared dead at a nearby hospital. Another suspect was arrested. And a third got away.
Police are looking for a slender man, about 6 feet tall, who was last scene wearing a black t-shirt and Raiders cap.
“We do believe that the individual responsible for shooting at our police officer is dangerous,” said Aurora Police spokesperson Kathleen Walsh. “In fact, we did recover multiple weapons in the suspect vehicle.”
Police say they found three guns in the car. Two of them were semi-automatic weapons.
Police have not identified which person in the car fired at the officer. The names of those involved have not been released.
The officer who fired at the suspects has been put on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings. Aurora’s major crimes unit is investigating the shooting. Once the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s office.
Aurora police are asking for help with the case. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Detective Wilson at 303-739-6711.
