(April 28, 2026) – An Aurora teen is facing attempted first-degree murder charges following a motor vehicle theft call with shots fired in west Aurora.
About 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Central District patrol officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle theft. The victim reported to Aurora911 his Ford Raptor had been stolen about an hour earlier and he located it while driving another vehicle to work. The victim followed his stolen pickup, providing real-time location information to responding officers.
While following the stolen Ford, the suspect – later identified as Eliseo Adonai Vasquez-Leon, 19, of Aurora – fired multiple shots in the victim’s direction. Those shots missed the victim’s vehicle, but several struck an occupied residence. No injuries were reported.
During the call, Vasquez-Leon crashed the stolen Ford in the 11300 block of East Center Avenue and ran from the scene. Responding officers established a perimeter and ultimately located the suspect hiding in a dog kennel in a residential backyard. Officers recovered a stolen firearm, as well as the keys for the stolen Ford.
In addition to attempted first-degree murder, Vasquez-Leon was arrested on charges of felony motor vehicle theft, prohibited use of a weapon, obstructing government operations, theft and damaging private property.
“Saturday’s call underscores why the Aurora Police Department prioritizes motor vehicle theft investigations,” said Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain. “Motor vehicle theft is not a victimless crime; it has real world impacts on members of our community.
“We also know stolen vehicles are frequently used to conceal or facilitate other criminal activity, as was the case over the weekend. Not only was the suspect in possession of a stolen firearm, but he used that firearm with a reckless disregard for human life.”
As recently as 2022, Colorado ranked first in the nation for motor vehicle thefts per capita. That year, there were 6,801 motor vehicle thefts in the city of Aurora.
However, that number has dropped significantly due to data-driven and hot spot policing strategies, the creation of community programs, such as MetroTrack, embracing innovative public safety technologies, including automated license plate readers and a drones as first responders program, and recent policy modifications expanding the agency’s pursuit policy to include suspected stolen vehicles.
From 2022 to 2025, motor vehicle thefts dropped from 6,801 in 2022 to 2,059 in 2025, a nearly 70 percent decline. Motor vehicle theft reports continue to trend down in 2026. As of April 12, year-to-date reports of motor vehicle theft are down 43.5 percent compared to the same time last year.
And it’s not just motor vehicle thefts that are trending down. Nearly four months into the year, every other major crime category tracked by the Aurora Police Department has declined compared to this time last year, including homicide, down 62.5 percent; burglary, down 31 percent; sex assault, down 24 percent; shootings, down 21 percent; and robbery, down 4.4 percent.
As of April 12, the Aurora Police Department has responded to 3,044 crimes, which is down from 3,655 reports during the same time last year. Overall crime is down 15.3 percent, equating to 611 fewer victims in the city of Aurora compared to this time in 2025.
“We’re not just chasing statistics; every single number, every criminal report represents a real person in our community who has been victimized,” Chief Todd Chamberlain said. “That’s what drives the men and women of the Aurora Police Department every day; a commitment to serve with professionalism, compassion and an unwavering focus on keeping our community safe.”
Joe Moylan
Public Information Officer
720.432.5095
AP26-85478