12-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot After Being Found in Alleged Stolen Car in Denver

The scene in Denver where a 12-year-old boy was fatally shot in an alleged stolen car.Photo: Fox31 Denver/YouTube

A man inDenverfatally shot a 12-year-old boy on Feb. 5 after he found the child in his allegedly stolen car, according toDenver Police.

The “adult male auto theft victim,” as police described him, was not arrested and the shooting remained “under investigation” last week. “Per standard procedure, at the conclusion of the investigation, the findings will be presented to the Denver District Attorney’s Office for consideration of possible charges,” a release read.

Denver Police told PEOPLE on Monday that the investigation is still ongoing, the other occupants of the vehicle who fled the scene “have not yet been located,” and the owner of the vehicle has not yet been arrested — with the DA’s office ultimately making “the determination regarding possible charges.”

The scene in Denver where a 12-year-old boy was fatally shot in an alleged stolen car.Fox31 Denver/YouTube

“I know auto theft is a growing issue, not just in Denver but everywhere, and it’s infuriating to be victimized like that,” Torres shared. “But I discourage any resident to taking a vigilante approach.”

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Gun violence, as theTimesreports, is the leading cause of death forchildren in America. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics point to the child death rate from guns in 2021 being its highest in more than 20 years, perthe Times, with 3,597 children dying from gunfire — 2,279 of which were homicides.

In November 2021, a child and an adult were shot and killed in Colorado Springs during a shooting at a skatepark.The young boy was found deadat the scene as two others, an adult and another child, were found injured.

The adult eventually succumbed to their injuries, and an anonymous 13-year-old boy toldThe Gazetteat the time that the skate park where the shooting occurred was “usually a chill place.”

source: people.com