AURORA, Colo. — The Aurora Police Department said Friday that just one officer was involved in the fatal shooting this week of an armed man who had gotten into a fight with another man over a backpack.
About 2:30 a.m. Wednesday two officers were near the intersection of East Colfax Avenue and Havana Street monitoring for criminal activity on a mesh camera, according to Aurora Police. Mesh is a network of cameras throughout the city that Aurora Police can monitor.
While observing those cameras, officers saw what looked like a dispute between two men over a backpack at the bus stop on the southwest corner of the intersection. The officers responded and saw one of the men pull out a gun and point it at the other, police said.
The officers aired on their radios that they were in contact with an armed man and, "moments later," reported that shots had been fired, according to police.
One officer, identified as C. Parella, discharged his firearm and struck the man. APD said they could not provide the officer's full first name. The man was taken to the hospital and later died from his injuries. The Arapahoe County Coroner's Office identified him as 21-year-old Joan Rodriguez-Godinez. No officers were hurt.
The other man involved in the initial dispute was taken into custody and issued a summons for misdemeanor theft for attempting to steal the armed man’s backpack.
Both Parella, who is a four-year veteran of the department, and the other officer were placed on administrative leave. The other officer, whoshad been with the department for a year, did not fire his weapon but responded and is a witness to the incident, according to police.
The 18th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the officers' action while the Aurora police’s Major Crime Homicide Unit is investigating the initial dispute between the two men. An Internal Affairs Bureau investigation also is underway.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
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