Aurora police shoot, kill armed 18-year-old who shot at officers, held woman hostage, police say

Aurora officers fatally shot an armed 18-year-old during a Saturday night hostage situation and shootout at a Heather Ridge apartment complex, police said.

Police said the man fired multiple shots at officers before one Aurora officer returned fire and shot him. Paramedics took the man, who has not been publicly identified, to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Aurora officers responded around 11:15 p.m. Saturday to reports of an argument between multiple people at an apartment complex in the 1900 block of South Vaughn Way, in southwest Aurora’s Heather Ridge neighborhood, the police department said in a statement.

The caller told dispatchers that a man assaulted a woman, threatened them and another roommate with the firearm and returned inside an apartment with the victim, police said.

Police said hostage negotiators were able to convince the man to release the woman without further injury, but that he refused to surrender himself.

Around 1 a.m. Sunday, the man “appeared in a doorway” and fired multiple shots at officers, police said in the statement. One Aurora officer returned fire and struck the man.

The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office will identify the man at a later date.

Police said the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave per department policy.

The shooting is under investigation by the 18th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team and, internally, by the Aurora Police Department.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

This is a developing story and may be updated. 

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