Aurora — Undercover police officers shot the driver of a stolen car Tuesday evening in the Lowry area, after the suspected thief drove onto the hood of another car trying to get away.
The unidentified suspect was shot several times, but he was expected to live, Aurora police Detective Bob Friel said. The suspect, driving a black Honda Prelude, and a male passenger were arrested after a brief foot chase. No shots fired by the suspect, and police would not disclose whether either of the men was armed.
“He was trying to get away with everything he had,” Friel said of the Honda’s driver.
Police actually happened upon the stolen Honda just after 5 p.m., while investigating other crimes, Friel said. Undercover officers were monitoring a home in west Aurora where they believed gang and drug activity were taking place, when an officer noticed that a car parked in the area was stolen.
Officers with the department’s pattern-crimes unit, who specialize in investigating stolen cars, responded to the area. When two men entered the Honda and drove away, the officers followed the car to the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Dayton.
Officers in unmarked vehicles closed in on the Honda, hoping to get a visual of the driver of the Honda, and recognized him as a “known car thief,” Friel said.
The suspect, who was stopped in the westbound lane of Sixthput the car in reverse and slammed into a Saturn sedan, Friel said. The Honda lost traction and became stuck on top of the Saturn.
That’s when five undercover officers closed in to arrest the suspect, and as they ordered the suspect to exit the vehicle, one of the officers fired several rounds into the windshield of the Honda, Friel said.
The driver was struck — no word on how many times or where.
He and his passenger then ran from the vehicle and a K-9 dog was released and brought the driver down about a block away, Friel said.
No officers and no bystanders were injured during the incident.
Offices were being interviewed to determine why shots were fired.
Police were also positively identifying the driver of the Honda, who was wearing a court-ordered ankle bracelet that monitored his whereabouts, Friel said.
