Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Cops ID suspects in recent shootings

AURORA | Police this afternoon released the names of four people involved in two separate officer-involved shootings.

Aaron Williams, 20, was killed by officers last week after police say he shot an officer and barricaded himself inside a family’s apartment near East Colfax Avenue and Elmira Street. 

Oleg Gidenko, 20, was killed by officers Sunday when police shot at a truck that police say may have been trying to run down officers. Two other passengers in the truck, Yevgeniy Straystar, 18, and Ruslan Giriyev, were wounded and police said they will face charges. 

Click below for the APD press releases on the two incidents.
Three Suspects Identified

Aurora, Colo. – The three males that were involved in the officer involved shooting in the 400 block of Laredo St. have been identified as 20-year-old Oleg Gidenko, 18-year-old Yevgeniy Straystar, and 18-year-old Ruslan Giriyev.

Gidenko is deceased.  Straystar remains in the hospital with a gunshot wound.  Giriyev was transported to the Aurora City Jail after being released from the hospital Monday, and was charged with criminal trespass and is out on bond.

Photos of the suspects are not being released at this time because this remains an ongoing, active investigation.

Information Previously Released on March 21, 2011

Aurora, Colo. – On March 20, 2011, shortly before midnight, officers responded to a suspicious occurrence call in the 400 block of N Laredo St where they confronted 3 suspects. 

The Officers were dispatched to a possible motor vehicle theft in progress or larceny from motor vehicle.  This location is an industrial area with multiple auto shops and several cars that are parked in the area.  This area has been experiencing several motor vehicle thefts and larceny from motor vehicles.

The Officers confronted 3 suspects who were in a back lot at which time all three suspects got into a truck.  Detectives are looking into the possibility that the driver of the truck drove at an officer striking him with the truck.  Shots were fired.  Two of the three occupants were struck by gun fire.  One male died at the hospital.  A second male is being treated at an area hospital.  The third male was also taken to a hospital with injuries that may have been sustained in a collision the truck was involved in post shooting. 

One officer sustained an injury to his head and he was transported to a local hospital where he is expected to be released by morning.  It is unclear at this time how he sustained his injury.

Additional officers responded to the scene to provide assistance and secure the area. Major Crimes Unit/Homicide detectives, assisted by the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, responded to lead the investigation.

The officers involved are not being identified at this time.  As is standard procedure in all officer involved shootings, the officers who discharged their duty weapons have been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review of this incident.

There will not be any updates reference this incident until mid-afternoon at the earliest. 

# # #

Identity of Male Who Held Family Hostage

Aurora, Colo. – The male that fired on an Officer after a traffic stop and then held a family of four hostage Thursday night into Friday has been identified as 20-year-old Aaron Williams.   

Information Previously Released on 03/18/11

Aurora, Colo. – Last night, shortly after 8 p.m., a uniformed Aurora Police Officer was injured in an exchange of gunfire that lead to a man hunt and an eventual SWAT situation where the barricaded gunman was shot and killed shortly after 7 a.m. this morning.

The Officer initiated a traffic stop in the area of E 16th Ave and N Elmira St.  During the traffic stop a male ran from the car and a foot pursuit ensued.  During the foot pursuit, the suspect shot at the Officer.  The Officer responded by shooting at the armed suspect. 

The injured Officer was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released.  It was initially believed that the officer was shot multiple times.  However, a medical examination revealed that the officer was struck by multiple bullet fragments as opposed to being shot multiple times. 

An intensive manhunt was underway in the area.  Phone contact was eventually established with the gunman.  The approximate location of the gunman was determined to be in apartments in the 1500 block of Emporia.  SWAT was then called out and set up in the area.   

During the evacuations of the apartment building that the gunman was believed to be in, it was discovered that a family of four was being held hostage by the suspect.  At which time officers were able to safely remove the unharmed family, including two children less than 10 years of age.

The gunman had barricaded himself in a back bedroom of this apartment.  Negotiators were able to have phone conversations with the gunman.  During those conversations, the gunman made statements indicating that he still had the gun and that he would shoot it out with the police.  After the gunman failed to comply with orders to come out, gas was deployed into the room.  The suspect exited the apartment through a window and had a handgun.  At this point multiple officers fired and the suspect was killed. 

Major Crime Unit (MCU) and Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) took over the scene and are conducting an investigation, including interviewing the family that was held hostage and other witnesses.  Police are still trying to locate a red four door sedan, possibly a Toyota, with a temporary tag.  Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Tom Wilson at (303)739-6711.

The deceased suspect is not being identified at this early stage of the investigation.  Additionally, the hostage family, the Police Officer who was initially injured and other involved Officers are not being identified.

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