14-year-old shot, killed by Aurora police identified

The teen who was shot and killed by an Aurora police officer Thursday was identified as 14-year-old Jor’Dell Da’Shawn Richardson.

The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office released Richardson’s identity Friday after the teen was shot by law enforcement in Aurora. His cause of death is a gunshot wound and his manner of death is classified as a homicide.

The incident occurred around 4:20 p.m. Thursday when an Aurora police gang sergeant on patrol noticed five to seven teens wearing medical masks and hooded sweatshirts approaching convenience store near East Eighth Avenue and North Dayton Street in Aurora, according to an Aurora Police Department news release.

After the sergeant called for backup, the teens ran from the store after stealing several vape canisters. The investigation later revealed at least one of the suspects threatened the clerk with a firearm, according to the release.

Responding officers tried to stop the suspects. Two ran and were taking into custody and several others sped away in a stolen Kia Sedona minivan with license plate CNS P11.

Richardson also ran to escape and was stopped by officers who found him with a firearm. During a struggle to take him into custody, one officer fired their weapon, according to the release.

The officers commanded Richardson to drop his weapon before firing at him, Chief Art Acevedo said.

Officers attempted CPR until Richardson was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

The 18th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the shooting.

“This is a tragedy all the way around, there’s no other way to look at it,” Acevedo said.

Police are still searching for the stolen Kia and other robbery suspects. Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 .

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