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'All I could think was this guy's gonna kill somebody:' Aurora officer found justified in shooting

An Aurora police officer has been found justified in shooting an auto theft suspect who rammed multiple patrol cars.
Credit: KUSA

KUSA — The Adams County District Attorney has found an Aurora Police Department officer justified in opening fire on an auto theft suspect who investigators said rammed into two patrol vehicles following a multi-agency pursuit.

The officer-involved shooting happened the night of July 28 shortly after an Aurora officer received an alert that a stolen Dodge pickup truck had driven through the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street, according to a decision letter from the DA’s Office.

When that vehicle failed to pull over for officers, Aurora police deployed a dart onto the back of the car that had a GPS tracking system attached. This prompted a pursuit into unincorporated Adams County that ended at a dead end at 65th Avenue and Clay Street, the letter says.

Officer Christopher Yarborough was one of the officers that pursued the stolen vehicle. According to the decision letter, he told investigators that he heard radio traffic the suspect was at a dead end and was planning on helping to chase him on foot.

Suddenly though, Yarborough said he saw headlights coming back toward him and watched as the suspect slammed into another officer’s car and then slam into his patrol car, pushing it back into him.

“All I could think was this guy’s gonna kill somebody,” Yarborough told investigators. “He’s either gonna kill me or he’s gonna throw it in reverse and kill somebody.”

This prompted Yarborough to fire his weapon through the stolen truck, hitting the suspect – identified as Isaiah Leyva – in the chest.

He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

According to the decision letter, the officer was justified in opening fire because he feared for his life and the lives of other officers.

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