A man who was shot to death by Aurora police pulled a gun as another man was attempting to rob his backpack, police said.
The incident happened about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of East Colfax Avenue and Havana Street, according to an Aurora Police Department news release.
Two officers closed in on the confrontation between the pair when the man whose backpack was being robbed pulled a gun and pointed it at the alleged robber, a Friday news release said.
“Officers arrived at the intersection and aired they were in contact with the armed man,” police said “Moments later, the officers aired shots had been fired. Only one officer discharged his firearm.”
In an earlier news conference, the morning of the shooting, police said the armed man was running away from police when he disregarded commands to stop and was then shot.
Officer C. Parrella, a four-year veteran of the department, fired his weapon, police said. Police on Friday declined to give Parrella’s first name.
In a separate incident, Aurora police officer Caleb Parrella is named in a lawsuit alleging excessive force against a Black man, Antonio Johnson, 43, during a 2021 traffic stop that ended in Johnson being dragged out of his car, Tased and arrested. Officer Brendan Daves is also named in the excessive force lawsuit.
The man who was fatally shot by Parrella on Wednesday was identified by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office as 21-year-old Joan Rodriguez-Godiney.
The morning of the shooting, Rodriguez-Godiney was taken to a hospital where he died.
The other man involved in the initial dispute over the backpack was found nearby and taken into custody. He was issued a misdemeanor summons for theft, for allegedly attempting to steal the armed man’s backpack, police said.
Officer K. Carbajal-Vazquez, who has been with the department for one year, was the second officer on the scene. Both officers were on patrol in the area “monitoring for criminal activity,” police said.
Both officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy, police said.
The 18th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the police shooting. The police department’s major crime unit is investigating the dispute between the two men. A police internal affairs investigation is also underway.
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