Suspect In Deadly Shooting May Have Supplied Meth To Children
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)- Aurora police are releasing more information about what led to a deadly shooting Thursday night. An officer said he shot the suspect when the man approached officers carrying two guns.
The shooting happened just after 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the 1400 block of Macon Street.
Aurora police said the suspect, Richard Aerreola, was the target of an active drug investigation and was under surveillance.
Below is a photo from Aurora police showing a long black rifle in the snow on the left and a large revolver in the street on the right side. Police said Aerreola was carrying those weapons when he approached officers.
"For an undercover officer to say, 'I've been made, I've been made," what that means is that they believe that the fact that they are undercover has been exposed," said Aurora Police spokeswoman Cassidee Carlson.
Police said they had been watching Aerreola, 25, because they believe he may have been involved in distributing drugs to children.
Police learned that 7 students from South Middle School in Aurora were either using and/or selling methamphetamine. Two students were hospitalized.
Police believe Aerreola dealt drugs out of his wireless phone business, Neviah Wireless, located in the 1400 block of N. Peoria St.
When officers searched the business on Friday, they found two additional guns, a pound of marijuana and cash.
Relatives of Aerreola said they are not happy with the way police handled the investigation.
"I don't care, whatever he did, he did not deserve to get shot and killed, whatever he did, jail would be a good punishment, whatever, I can understand he did something wrong, but death was not the resolution," said Aerreola's cousin Veronica Medina.
