AURORA, Colo — Prosecutors with the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office are looking into an incident over the weekend where several people, including small children, were ordered to the ground by Aurora Police officers following a mixup over a stolen car
They said they will determine if any charges are warranted.
APD said officers were notified around 10:55 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2 of a possible stolen vehicle in the area of an ARC Thrift Store at 16801 E. Iliff Ave. Officers then identified a vehicle that matched the license plate number and description they were given.
> The family described the Aug. 2 incident in the video above.
The officers conducted a traffic stop, and the adult driver and young passengers were ordered onto the ground – some were placed in handcuffs, APD said.
A video taken by a witness shows four children, ages 6-17, face down on the ground. Officers handcuffed at least two of the children.
Brittney Gilliam, who identified herself as the driver, told 9NEWS she had taken her nieces, younger sister and daughter to get their nails done, and when they realized the salon was closed, they got back in their car. That's when she said police surrounded their car with guns drawn.
APD said a motorcycle with the same license plate number from a different state was actually the vehicle reported stolen.
Gilliam said her car was stolen back in February, but was found the next day. That may have added to the confusion, according to APD.
When stopping suspected stolen cars, officers are trained to do what's called a "high-risk-stop." That means weapons are drawn and passengers are told to lie face down on the ground.
But APD Chief Vanessa Wilson said that's not policy and her officers should use their discretion.
District Attorney George Brauchler said Friday that earlier this week he ordered his office to obtain and review all evidence related to the incident to determine whether any criminal charges are warranted. He said Wilson and the department are cooperating with the investigation. An internal affairs investigation has been ordered.
“Public accounts of the incident in a parking lot near Iliff and Buckley are very concerning,” said Brauchler. “Everyone is entitled to be treated equally under the law. No one is above the law. If our investigation determines that the officers involved committed a crime, I will not hesitate to file charges and prosecute them. I intend to investigate this matter thoroughly and with appropriate haste. I will announce the outcome of our investigation to the public upon its conclusion.”
Wilson released a statement about the investigation on Twitter saying in part that she shares the concerns about what transpired.
"I have promised transparency to a community who not only demands it but deserves it, Wilson wrote in part. " I not only welcome this review but I am fully cooperating with the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office"
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Local stories from 9NEWS