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Suspect and 2 boys shot in Aurora arranged to meet, affidavit says

Rolando Felipe, 18, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the shooting that left a 12-year-old boy dead and a 13-year-old boy seriously injured, Aurora Police said.

AURORA, Colo. — The 18-year-old suspect in a shooting in Aurora that left a 12-year-old boy dead and a 13-year-old boy injured had arranged to meet with the boys, which was when the shooting took place, according to the arrest affidavit.

Aurora Police Department officers responded about 2:57 p.m. Friday to the shooting in the 900 block of North Zion Street, near the intersection of Interstate 225 and East 6th Avenue. One 911 caller reported their brother had been shot, and another caller reported a drive-by shooting with multiple victims.

Officers found the two boys with gunshot wounds. They were transported to the hospital, where the 12 year old died. The 13 year old remained in critical condition as of Monday.

On Sunday, the principal of Denver's McAuliffe International School sent a letter home to parents identifying the 12-year-old as seventh-grader King Wright. 

"We are devastated by this loss and our thoughts and prayers are with King’s family as we grieve his passing," Principal Kurt Dennis said. "King was a charismatic young man and we recognize that this tragedy will be especially hard on those students and staff that were closest to him."

Dennis said the school would have additional mental health providers on campus Monday to help students and staff grieve and process the loss.

RELATED: Police arrest suspect accused of killing 12-year-old boy

One witness who identified himself as the 13-year-old's brother told investigators that his brother and the other victim had been communicating with a person named "Kaz Cashoutt" on Facebook and were going to be picked up by him, the affidavit says.

The witness said he warned his brother to be careful around "Kaz Cashoutt" and told them to walk across the street to another house before getting picked up. In another interview, the witness reiterated that he didn't trust anyone and told the victims to give "Kaz Cashoutt" a different address so he would not learn their actual address.

The witness also told investigators he went to Aurora Central High School with "Kaz Cashoutt" and that an Acura TL sedan was possibly associated with the suspect, according to the affidavit.

The victim who survived the shooting told investigators during an interview at the hospital that he had been communicating with the "Kaz Cashoutt" profile on Facebook, and he was supposed to pick up the victims to hang out. 

The victim said "Kaz" was late, so they began walking up the street before "Kaz" drove toward them, the affidavit says. "Kaz," who was the only person the vehicle, suddenly began firing a handgun at them through an open window before driving away.

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Investigators searched Facebook and found the profile with the "Kaz Cashoutt" name. After searching variations of the birthday in that profile, investigators identified Rolando Felipe as a possible suspect, the affidavit says.

Investigators confirmed the suspect's identity by comparing photos of him with photos on the profile, the affidavit says. The profile also had the same birth month and day as Felipe, but a different year, which investigators said is a common tactic to avoid detection by other Facebook users and law enforcement.

A Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles records search showed Felipe had a gray Acura TL sedan, and the address it was registered to was located in a neighborhood where residents attend Aurora Central High School, according to the affidavit.

Officers responded to the listed address and made contact with several individuals including Felipe, who was taken into custody around 7 p.m. Friday night.

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In an interview with investigators, Felipe initially told investigators he was robbed around Nov. 4 by a group of men who pistol-whipped him and took his possessions including a phone, an AR pistol, clothing and jewelry, the affidavit says.

Felipe told investigators he wanted his phone back, which contained contacts and other information he deemed important, according to the affidavit. He also said he was contacted on Friday by a Facebook profile with the name "WillowSt Yung Vdot" and agreed to meet with the person and his brothers at a North Zion Street address.

Felipe said he drove his Acura to the area and saw two males walking toward the passenger side of his car. At first, he claimed they were wearing ski masks and had their hoods up when they pulled out handguns and pointed them at him, the affidavit says.

Later, Felipe admitted after more questioning that neither person was wearing a mask and at no point did he see any guns, the affidavit says. Felipe said he believed he saw the outline of a big gun in the waistband area of one of the males but could not say for certain that it was a gun.

Felipe said he was scared and fired about five shots at the two males, according to the affidavit.

He also admitted to investigators he could have driven away and did not have to shoot at the victims, according to the affidavit.

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