(April 9, 2026) – The Aurora Police Department was involved in a fatal officer-involved shooting, and an officer was injured while responding to a mental health call in south Aurora.
About 3:15 p.m., Aurora police patrol officers responded to an apartment complex in the 14000 block of East Stanford Circle for a report of a 23-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis who was threatening to harm himself and others in the home. Patrol officers and members of the department’s Crisis Response Team arrived at 3:37 p.m.
Aurora police’s Crisis Response Team pairs a sworn officer with a mental health clinician who are trained to respond to situations involving people experiencing a mental health crisis. In addition to the Crisis Response Team, multiple officers on scene were equipped with less lethal tools including a K9 officer and its handler, TASER and a 40mm launcher equipped with foam projectiles.
Officers and mental health clinicians made numerous attempts to contact the man by phone, which were initially successful. The man later stopped talking to officers, who then attempted to maintain contact with him verbally through an apartment window. About 16 minutes after officers arrived at the complex, the man exited the apartment and attacked the K9 handler with a knife.
A brief struggle took place, during which the K9 handler was stabbed multiple times in the head by the suspect. The K9 also sustained injuries during the attack. During the struggle, the K9 handler fired multiple shots, striking the suspect. Officers on scene also deployed their TASERs and the 40mm launcher with no effect on the suspect.
Following the shooting, officers and Aurora Fire Rescue personnel immediately began providing life-saving actions to both the injured officer and the suspect. The officer was rushed to a local hospital by ambulance. As of Thursday night, the officer was receiving medical treatment and is expected to survive. The K9 also is expected to recover from its injuries.
The suspect was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. He will be identified by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office.
The injured officer joined the Aurora Police Department in 2002. He has been assigned to the K9 Unit since 2012.
The 18th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene and is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. The Aurora Police Department is conducting a parallel administrative review of the incident.
The investigations are active and ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867). Tipsters can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
Joe Moylan
Public Information Officer
720.432.5095
AP26-74044