No charges in Aug. 2022 Aranda shooting

DA declines to charge sheri ’s deputies

BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

O cers will not face charges in the August 2022 shooting of Derrick Aranda, District Attorney Brian Mason announced.

In a March 29 letter to Adams County Sheri Gene Claps, Mason explained his decision to not le charges for an o cer-involved shooting in Adams County on Aug. 5, 2022.

“Based on the evidence presented and the applicable Colorado law, there is no reasonable likelihood of success of proving the elements of any crime beyond a reasonable doubt as it relates to the law enforcement o cers involved in this

Commerce City Police introduce online reporting form e Commerce City Police Department has a new reporting tool allowing the public to report some crimes online and receive a police report immediately without having to wait to speak directly to a police o cer. e new form is online now in English and Spanish at c3gov.com/ ReportACrime. e crime being reported must not be an emergency, must have occurred within Commerce City limits and there must be no known suspects.

Community members can report incidents that do not require immediate o cer intervention or may be intended for insurance or documentation purposes. Online reporting also allows o cers to focus their on-duty time on higher-priority calls to provide better service to the community.

Crimes that can be reported via the form include the unauthorized use of nance transaction, Identity theft, lost property, shoplifting and theft of less than $2,000 or vandalism.

In case of an emergency or a crime in process, you should always call 911 immediately.

Walk with a doc is is a walking program for everyone interested in taking steps for a healthier lifestyle. After a few incident,” the letter reads. e Adams County Sheri ’s O ce Special Enforcement Team created a perimeter around the apartment with unmarked vehicles. While there, detectives observed a Toyota Prius arriving at the apart- minutes to learn about a current health topic from the doctor, spend the rest of the hour enjoying a healthy walk and fun conversation. It’s a great way to get out, get active and enjoy all the bene ts that come from walking.

Platte Valley Medical Center’s cardiac rehab team and Walk With A Doc will host monthly walks with Dr. Christopher Cannon, an interventional cardiologist at Brighton Heart and Vascular Institute.

Derrick Aranda died from the shooting.

According to the investigation summary, Aranda failed to appear in Denver County District Court for criminal charges of attempted rstdegree murder. e Denver Police Department Fugitive Unit tracked Aranda to Adams County and contacted the Adams County Sheri ’s O ce. Aranda had an active warrant for his arrest from the attempted murder case. O cers tracked Aranda and his girlfriend – identi ed in the letter by the initials “L.L.” – through their cell phones and found them to be at her apartment.

‘Taking No Chances’ e 17th Judicial District Attorney’s O ce and e Link, a community resource and assessment center in ornton, are o ering free, 10-week programs to families of Adams county teenagers to help develop personal and interpersonal drug-resistance skills.

Sessions are from 5:30 to 6;30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 720-292-2811.

Boards/commissions’ openings Commerce City has openings for several of its boards and commissions, including the city’s cultural council, the housing authority and the Derby review board.

Visit https://www.c3gov.com/ Home/Components/Form/Form/70 316b05422c448492c51da0f0e0fd86/ to sign up.

Legal self-help clinic e Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. the rst Tuesday of every month. e program is for those who don’t have legal representation and need help navigating through legal issues. Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss such topics as family law, civil litigation, property and probate law. Call 303-405-3298 and ask for the Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours in advance.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com ment and turning its hazard lights on. e girlfriend left the apartment and entered the driver’s side rear seat. en police said Aranda went from the backseat to the front seat while holding a black semi-automatic handgun. ree o cers — Deputy Isiah Acosta, Deputy Lance Kestel and Deputy Robert Bacigalupo — then red their weapons. Aranda died from multiple gunshot wounds. e girlfriend said that the o cers

Soon after, Aranda left the apartment, looked around, and began to walking toward the car. at is when the police began to approach Aranda.

Police ordered Aranda to the ground and he ran to the Prius, entering on therear passenger side and shutting the door.

According to the civilian interview, the driver of the Prius was a driver for a ride-share company.

Help for vets

Quali ed Listeners, a veteran and family resource hub serving northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, has a number of power chairs, power scooters and electric wheelchairs available.

To nd the closest facility to you visit www.va.gov/ nd-locations.

Quali ed Listeners also need volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, handyman services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries and veterans to be trained to become quali ed listeners. Call 720-600-0860.

COVID-19 testing

Here’s where you can receive a test for COVID-19:

Brighton Advanced Urgent Care, 2801 Purcell St. Call 303-659-9700 or visit https://advurgent.com/locations/brighton/

Brighton Salud, 1860 Egbert St. Testing is available on Tuesday, ursday and Friday. Visit https:// www.saludclinic.org/covid-testing

Fort Lupton Salud, 1115 Second St. Testing is available on Tuesday and ursday. Call 303-697-2583 or visit https://www.saludclinic.org/covidtesting online.

Mental health

Community Reach Center o ers in-person intake assessments from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays at the Brighton Learning and Resource Campus, 1850 E. Egbert St. in Brighton. Call Community Reach Center at 303853-3500.

For walk-in intake, bring an ID

TERESA ALEXIS Marketing Consultant Classified Sales talexis@coloradocommunitymedia.com were wearing black clothing and that she didn’t recognize them. She said she didn’t believe Aranda was armed that day and said the last time she saw him with a gun was Aug. 5, 2022. e documents read “Mr. Aranda stated that he had the gun for protection because someone was threatening to kill him.” e documents also say a gun was found. e girlfriend also said she believed o cers shot Aranda ten times and Aranda had his hands covering his head. and insurance information. For those who would prefer to complete the intake forms and schedule an appointment, the intake forms are available online at www.communityreachcenter.org. ere will be a short screening for u-like symptoms before the entrance to the center to ensure safety and wellness for everyone.

“A Sig Sauer model P365, 9 mm handgun was discovered and removed from the passenger oorboard. A 9mm cartridge was found in the chamber of the gun and eleven 9mm cartridges in the magazine. ere was no evidence to conclude that the gun was red from inside the Prius,” the document reads.

Anyone feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255, text 38255, or visit the Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) Center at 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster.

Warm Line up and running

Community Reach Center is o ering a Warm Line (303-280-6602) for those who want to talk to mentalhealth professionals about anxiety, lack of sleep and strained relationships, among other topics. e professionals can facilitate referrals to other programs for assistance. A press statement said the line is not for crisis intervention. ose feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services (1-844-493-8255) or text 38255 or visit the Behavioral Urgent Care Center, 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster. Also, the center’s COVID-19 Heroes Program is set up to assist healthcare workers during the pandemic. ose who live or work in Adams County can receive up to six free counseling sessions. Use the Warm Line for support and free counseling.

Brighton’s community intake location is at 1850 E. Egbert St., on the second oor. It’s open from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays.

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