Latest news with #AuroraPolice
CBS News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Aurora police remind students to wear seat belts as they return to class
Aurora students return to school Wednesday morning and hundreds of those teens will be driving for the very first time. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, seat belt usage in the state is 88%. Experts are concerned as the number should be 100%. CDOT says a majority of those not wearing seat belts come from the 16-to-24-year-old age group. Aurora police are emphasizing seat belt safety with high school students to help increase compliance. Aurora police will be outside Rangeview High School from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Aurora police say in the event of a crash, no matter how minor or serious, a seat belt will help protect you. The seat belt is the only restraint to keep the driver or even the passenger from flying out of the window. Aurora police say they don't want to give your family bad news if you are involved in a crash and aren't wearing a seat belt. "It makes a difference between you walking away from the crash with either no injuries or minor injuries or you dying," said Aurora Police Agent Matthew Longshore. "We certainly don't want to be the ones having to go to your house and tell your family that you died because you weren't wearing a seatbelt." Aurora police are also reminding kids to properly adjust their car seats and mirrors before driving. Remember, having your cell phone in your hand is illegal in Colorado. Aurora police are telling first-time drivers to remain calm, take their time, and never speed.
The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Parents of man shot and killed by Colorado officer after scuffle sue
The parents of a man who was shot and killed by an officer after the two had scuffled are suing the officer and accusing police in the Denver suburb of Aurora failing to end a pattern of racially discriminatory policing. The lawsuit, announced Tuesday, said Officer Brandon Mills shot Rashaud Johnson, 32, twice in the chest on May 12 when he posed no threat. Mills held him at gunpoint as Johnson bled on the ground, waiting about five minutes for another officer to arrive without trying to help, the lawsuit said. When the other officer arrived, Mills told him Johnson did not have a gun but said Johnson had tried to disarm him several times, according to police body camera footage. Mills put a single hand on one of Johnson's wounds after the officers handcuffed him, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit said Johnson, who was Black and a standup comedian, was having a mental health crisis when he was killed at a vast remote airport parking lot near where he lived. Employees had called 911 five times over about two hours asking for police to check on Johnson as he walked barefoot on the lot's hot pavement, according to the lawsuit and information previously released by police. Mills responded alone after the employees reported that Johnson was 'trying to fight them.' Johnson did not respond to Mills' questions and rushed toward the officer, according to body camera footage. Mills swung his baton and then fired his Taser before they ended up on the ground in a struggle, the footage showed. Johnson pulled one of Mills' spare ammunition magazines from his belt, the lawsuit said. After Mills pushed Johnson off of him and ordered him to move back, Mills pulled out his gun and said he would shoot Johnson if he didn't get on the ground. Johnson stood still, not far from the lot's fence, before he slowly began walking toward Mills, according to the footage. Mills then shot him from about 15 feet (5 meters) away. District Attorney Brian Mason has not yet decided whether the shooting was justified or criminal charges should be filed, said his spokesperson, Christopher Hopper. The Aurora Police Department is reviewing the shooting, city attorney Pete Schulte said. 'Like any critical incident, there are important facts that will be revealed by these investigations that are not depicted in a single body camera video. Now that this lawsuit has been filed my office will defend the city and the officer in this case,' Schulte said. Mills could not be located for comment. An email message sent to the union representing Aurora police officers was not immediately returned. Johnson's mother, Taushica Carter, said that as a military veteran, she has trouble understanding how someone who took an oath to uphold the law killed her only child. 'Someone who thought they were God, basically, took my baby's life,' she said at a news conference with her lawyers, tears running down her face. His father, Christopher Johnson, said he wanted people to know that his son was not a troublemaker and had parents who loved him. 'We want his memory to be positive and the community to understand the loss that did not have to happen,' he said.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Washington Post
Parents of man shot and killed by Colorado officer after scuffle sue
DENVER — The parents of a man who was shot and killed by an officer after the two had scuffled are suing the officer and accusing police in the Denver suburb of Aurora failing to end a pattern of racially discriminatory policing . The lawsuit, announced Tuesday, said Officer Brandon Mills shot Rashaud Johnson, 32, twice in the chest on May 12 when he posed no threat. Mills held him at gunpoint as Johnson bled on the ground, waiting about five minutes for another officer to arrive without trying to help, the lawsuit said.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Associated Press
Parents of man shot and killed by Colorado officer after scuffle sue
DENVER (AP) — The parents of a man who was shot and killed by an officer after the two had scuffled are suing the officer and accusing police in the Denver suburb of Aurora failing to end a pattern of racially discriminatory policing. The lawsuit, announced Tuesday, said Officer Brandon Mills shot Rashaud Johnson, 32, twice in the chest on May 12 when he posed no threat. Mills held him at gunpoint as Johnson bled on the ground, waiting about five minutes for another officer to arrive without trying to help, the lawsuit said. When the other officer arrived, Mills told him Johnson did not have a gun but said Johnson had tried to disarm him several times, according to police body camera footage. Mills put a single hand on one of Johnson's wounds after the officers handcuffed him, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit said Johnson, who was Black and a standup comedian, was having a mental health crisis when he was killed at a vast remote airport parking lot near where he lived. Employees had called 911 five times over about two hours asking for police to check on Johnson as he walked barefoot on the lot's hot pavement, according to the lawsuit and information previously released by police. Mills responded alone after the employees reported that Johnson was 'trying to fight them.' Johnson did not respond to Mills' questions and rushed toward the officer, according to body camera footage. Mills swung his baton and then fired his Taser before they ended up on the ground in a struggle, the footage showed. Johnson pulled one of Mills' spare ammunition magazines from his belt, the lawsuit said. After Mills pushed Johnson off of him and ordered him to move back, Mills pulled out his gun and said he would shoot Johnson if he didn't get on the ground. Johnson stood still, not far from the lot's fence, before he slowly began walking toward Mills, according to the footage. Mills then shot him from about 15 feet (5 meters) away. District Attorney Brian Mason has not yet decided whether the shooting was justified or criminal charges should be filed, said his spokesperson, Christopher Hopper. The Aurora Police Department is reviewing the shooting, city attorney Pete Schulte said. 'Like any critical incident, there are important facts that will be revealed by these investigations that are not depicted in a single body camera video. Now that this lawsuit has been filed my office will defend the city and the officer in this case,' Schulte said. Mills could not be located for comment. An email message sent to the union representing Aurora police officers was not immediately returned. Johnson's mother, Taushica Carter, said that as a military veteran, she has trouble understanding how someone who took an oath to uphold the law killed her only child. 'Someone who thought they were God, basically, took my baby's life,' she said at a news conference with her lawyers, tears running down her face. His father, Christopher Johnson, said he wanted people to know that his son was not a troublemaker and had parents who loved him. 'We want his memory to be positive and the community to understand the loss that did not have to happen,' he said.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Fox News
Venezuelan suspect 'should never have been in the United States,' police chief says after deadly shooting
Aurora, Colorado, police apprehended a suspect Monday morning in connection with a weekend shooting that left one woman dead and another critically injured. Authorities identified the man as a Venezuelan national who is reportedly in the U.S. without legal status. Authorities had been searching for 30-year-old Michel Jordan Castellano-Fonseca following the early Sunday morning shooting at an apartment located in north-central Aurora. At the time of the incident, five children ranging from ages 1 to 15 were also inside the apartment. Castellano-Fonseca was taken into custody around 6 a.m. near Mississippi Avenue and Chambers Road, according to an Aurora Police Department spokesperson. "The Aurora Police Department is dedicated to eliminating gun violence in our community and remains determined to hold offenders accountable," the department stated, noting that officers had been working nonstop to track down the suspect. Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain called the attack "a tragedy that never should have happened," and stressed the importance of inter-agency cooperation and access to technology to prevent and respond to violent crimes. "This was a heartbreaking and preventable loss of life," Chamberlain said at a Monday press briefing. "The individual responsible should never have been in the United States." Chamberlain identified Castellano-Fonseca as a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2023, first settling in Florida before relocating to Aurora. He added that the suspect had not initiated any process to obtain legal residency or citizenship. While the suspect was previously cited in Florida for a traffic violation, no other legal action was taken at that time. Chamberlain shared further details about the shooting, suggesting it likely stemmed from a domestic violence incident. According to investigators, the chain of events began Saturday evening, when the suspect, allegedly under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, left the apartment and contacted someone to help him acquire a firearm. Police believe he test-fired the weapon from a vehicle near East Mississippi Avenue and South Chambers Road before returning to the apartment around 3 a.m. When he arrived, a 15-year-old girl answered the door. Castellano-Fonseca allegedly forced his way inside as the women and children attempted to take shelter in a bathroom. According to Chamberlain, the suspect followed them and fired shots, striking two women in the head – one of whom died at the scene. The surviving woman remains hospitalized in critical condition. "Five children – ages 1, 6, 7, 9 and 15 – were subjected to something no child should ever witness," Chamberlain said. Police said the children were not physically harmed during the shooting. After the shooting, Castellano-Fonseca fled in a green Acura MDX SUV with Colorado license plate CV0668. Police issued a public alert, describing him as "armed and dangerous." Investigators utilized surveillance systems to trace the suspect's vehicle and movements. He was eventually located at a Taco Bell, where he was arrested without incident. Chamberlain reiterated that the suspect had a history of violence and accused him of endangering the lives of those he claimed to care for. "This person is now off the streets and in custody," he said. While authorities confirmed that the residents of the apartment were also Venezuelan immigrants, their legal status remains unclear. Victim support services are currently working with them. Chamberlain also spoke on the broader challenges facing law enforcement, including the influx of immigrants to Aurora and the tension between local and federal authorities regarding immigration enforcement. He criticized current restrictions that limit local police cooperation with federal agencies like ICE, particularly following recent legal actions by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. "Officers are afraid of being penalized just for cooperating with federal partners," Chamberlain said. "That's a serious concern for local law enforcement trying to deal with rising crime. We are not here to target immigrants. We are here to hold criminals accountable." Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
