The man shot and killed by an Aurora police officer over the weekend was a suspect in an armed road rage incident the previous night, the agency said on Monday.
The suspect, who hasn't been named yet, is accused of following a woman and her husband and brandishing a handgun on Feb. 9 near E. Mississippi and I-225 in Aurora.
She called 911 and met with officers to give police the man's description and file a report.
The next day around 11:30 p.m., the officers who responded to the road rage call spotted a car matching the description from the previous night near East Smoky Hill Road and South Chambers Road.
Those officers pulled that vehicle over. At this time, according to Aurora Police, the driver got out of the car and started moving toward the officers.
The suspect, who APD would only describe as a white man, refused officers' verbal commands to stop and instead walked back toward his vehicle. One of the officers then tried to physically stop him, but the suspect then produced a handgun and pointed it at the officer.
The officer then shot the suspect, killing him.
The officer who shot the suspect, according to Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz, has been with APD for 5 years and has an excellent reputation. He's been placed on paid leave, per routine, as the investigation continues.
Metz said he won't be releasing his name at this time.
The name of the suspect will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner's Office. Metz wouldn't elaborate on the suspect's criminal record, but did say he had priors in other parts of the state and country.
