Grief counselors met with students and faculty today at Denver’s Force Elementary School, where a 10-year-old attended classes before she was shot to death Monday night in her home.
Principal Ann Myers also sent a letter home to parents Tuesday asking them to talk to their children about grief and loss and to look for signs of stress.
“Some students may have some unresolved feelings and difficulty understanding the loss of their classmate,” Myers’ letter said. “You may wish to discuss death and grief further with your son or daughter.”
The Denver coroner’s office identified the girl as Auralia Cisneros. The office reported today that Auralia died of a gunshot to the head and determined that it was a homicide.
Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman said a shootout broke out about 10:30 p.m. in the doorway of the girl’s apartment in the 4700 block of West Tennessee Avenue and that shots were exchanged from inside and outside the unit.
He said the shooting was related to drugs being sold from the apartment. Seven detectives are working on the case, including gang-unit detectives.
Police are looking for two suspects. One is described as a Latino man in his early 20s, about 5-foot-5 and 145 pounds. The man had a mustache or goatee, Detective John White said, and was wearing a dark plaid outer shirt or black hoodie with a white inner shirt. He was wearing a brown or black hat.
Whitman did not describe the second suspect but pleaded for the public’s help in the form of tips to investigators.
Denver Public Schools spokesman Alex Sanchez said a team of crisis counselors went to the school Tuesday and spoke with teachers and students in groups and one-on-one.
He said the counselors would stay as long as they are needed and that they may be at the school the entire week.
Signs that a child might need additional help include a change in sleeping or eating habits, behavioral changes, withdrawal, physical symptoms or tearfulness.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
