AURORA, Colo. — The Aurora Police Department (APD) sent letters to 116 businesses along East Colfax Avenue telling them to take precautions ahead of a now-canceled August 23 march in honor of Elijah McClain.
The 23-year-old died on Aug. 27, 2019 – three days after he was involved in a struggle with APD where he went into cardiac arrest shortly after a paramedic administered ketamine. None of the officers involved nor paramedics who responded have been criminally charged, and McClain’s death has been the subject of protests across the country.
McClain’s mother canceled that demonstration in honor of her son late last week, saying that it had gotten out of hand and did not actually honor him or bring them any closer to justice. On Facebook, Sheneen McClain said she and family planned to memorialize Elijah McClain privately on the date of his death.
She also implored that protesters stop using her son’s final words, words that have bookended the family’s civil rights lawsuit against APD and have become a rallying cry for those calling for the officers involved in his death to be charged.
Previous marches in support of Elijah McClain in Aurora led to confrontations with police, as well as damages to the city’s municipal building. This prompted APD to send a letter to businesses that would have been along the march route.
“APD supports a peaceful march,” the letter to businesses reads. “The APD is also concerned that the activities of the day can turn violent, disruptive or dangerous if even a small group of people determined to cause trouble can use the peaceful protest as a ‘cover’ to cause unruly behavior, damage property, and even injure individuals.”
The letter goes on to tell businesses police want them to be informed so they can “take any lawful precautions you feel are needed.” Police recommended that owners consider security cameras, revisiting their insurance policies hiring security guards and taking cash to banks.
Since the event was canceled, APD did not distribute the letter to residents in the same corridor where the march was planned.
In late July, two protesters were shot by another protester after a Jeep drove through the demonstration that was blocking Interstate 225.
One lawsuit claims that at a violin vigil for McClain, APD officers unlawfully used chemical agents on the crowd.
There are now multiple investigations happening regarding McClain’s death, including one by the FBI as well as another by Colorado’s attorney general.
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