GREELEY, Colo. — A 17-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man are both dead after they shot each other during a drug deal earlier this month, according to the Greeley Police Department (GPD).
Just before noon on May 3, officers with GPD responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of 18th Street and found two males with gunshot wounds. That's about a half-mile west of the University of Northern Colorado campus in Greeley.
A 17- year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. His name was not released. Austin “AJ” Nielsen, 22, died a short time later at a local hospital.
After processing the crime scene, interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage, detectives determined the juvenile male had arranged to meet with Nielsen to purchase marijuana.
During that meeting, the two got into an argument over the cost of the marijuana and the younger victim pulled out a gun, police said. Neilsen also drew a weapon and they "simultaneously shot each other", according to GPD.
Following the shooting, the juvenile stumbled down the street and collapsed from a gunshot wound to the chest. Nielsen, who was still in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, suffered a gunshot wound to the head, police said.
After being shot, his foot depressed the accelerator and his vehicle sped down 18th Street, ultimately colliding into two vehicles on 11th Avenue.
Both handguns and their spent shell casings were recovered from the scene by law enforcement.
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