AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Police shot and killed a 14-year-old boy and took two other boys into custody after an armed robbery in Aurora on Thursday afternoon, according to interim Police Chief Art Acevedo.
Friday morning, the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office identified the boy who was killed as Jor’Dell Da’Shawn Richardson.
A regional search was underway for more young males, possibly teenagers, who fled the scene in a dark-colored Kia minivan, that had been reported stolen, Acevedo said. He did not release ages but said officers believe they were all boys.
The dark-colored Kia Sedona minivan had a CNS-P11 plate, according to police.
Acevedo said robbers took vapes from a store near 8th Avenue and Dayton Street. The boy who police shot and killed had a semiautomatic pistol when he threatened the store clerk, the chief said.
A sergeant with Aurora’s Gang Intervention Unit first spotted the alleged robbers in hoodies and surgical masks near the store. He called other officers to the scene to help chase the suspects.
Acevedo said one of the officers encountered the boy with the pistol and ordered him to let go of the gun.
“At one point, the officer discharges his firearm,” Acevedo said.
Shots were fired around 4:23 p.m. Officers soon started CPR until Aurora Fire Rescue responded around 4:31 p.m. and took over rendering aid, Acevedo said. He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead around 5:05 p.m.
“The preliminary investigation has revealed the suspect who died in the shooting is a minor. He has not yet been positively identified,” according to a police news release.
Other armed robbery suspects still wanted
Other suspects were taken into custody while a search continued for more.
After a foot chase, one boy was taken into custody without incident near the store.
During the incident, police heard about another young male trying to get into vehicles in the 1300 block of Emporia Street. Police believe he was connected to the case and took him into custody.
The search continued Thursday night for the others who left the scene in the stolen Kia minivan.
The officer who shot the boy has been with the Aurora Police Department since 2017 and the gang unit since 2019, Acevedo said. The officer was placed on paid administrative leave.
The 18th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the shooting while Aurora Police will investigate the robbery. Aurora’s Direct Action Response Team, or DART, and the SWAT team are looking for the other people who were involved.
