On December 17th, 2018, Officers from the Aurora Police Department responded to 10653 East Jewell Avenue after a woman called 911 saying that there was a verbal and physical domestic fight occurring inside of the apartment.
Officers arrived on scene approximately 7 minutes later and as they approached the apartment, could hear yelling and screaming. As officers approached the door, they could see a male actively choking another male. Officers began to give verbal commands during this loud and very chaotic scene. One of the involved males then turns his attention officers and begins to advance on them. This male is later identified as Mr. David Baker.
Two different officers deployed their Tasers but neither had any effect. After the 2 unsuccessful Taser attempts, Mr. Baker pushes an officer out of the apartment and continues to fight. After some baton strikes that prove to be ineffective, the fight makes its way outside. Once outside, officers attempt to go hands on with Mr. Baker who instead throws an officer to the ground, injuring them. Mr. Baker continues to advance on the officers and ends up grabbing an officer’s baton and attempts to take it away.
At one point, an officer is in a position to apply a carotid control hold. While attempting to apply the carotid control hold, Mr. Baker is able to turn himself around and then places his hands around an officer’s neck and begins to choke him for several seconds. Other officers notice that the officer is being choked, attempt to drive-stun Mr. Baker as well as deliver baton strikes to his legs, all of which had no effect.
After finally letting go of our officers throat, Mr. Baker turns and begins to walk towards the open apartment door. Someone on the inside of the apartment notices this and quickly closes the door. Mrs. Baker is left outside pleading to her husband to please stop.
An officer attempts to de-escalate the situation by putting away his baton and going hands on instead. While trying to gain control of Mr. Bakers arm and take him to the ground, Mr. Baker is able to fight through and continues to fight officers. Officers then begin to punch, kick, and use their Taser to drive-stun Mr. Baker in an attempt to place him into custody. During all of this, Mrs. Baker, as well as a neighbor who has heard the yelling and screaming, are now both pleading to Mr. Baker to stop fighting.
Mr. Baker is finally taken to the ground but continues to kick and fight with officers as they attempt to take him into custody. Now over 6 minutes into the fight, the first backup officers arrive on scene. Mr. Baker is laying on his arms preventing officers from placing into handcuffs. An officer has to use his baton as a pry tool to get one of his arms free in order to successfully handcuff him. Once officers finally get his second arm free, it takes 4 pairs of handcuffs, linked together, to properly restrain Mr. Baker.
Feeling that Mr. Baker is still kicking, officers mention the use of hobbles. Officers prepare to apply a hobble, which consists of a separate waist chain and feet restraints. At NO time during a hobble do the hands ever get attached to the feet as they would in a hogtie. Also, while officers only mentioned applying hobbles, neither the separate waist chain nor the feet restraints were ever successfully applied.
As officers continue to effectively gain complete control of Mr. Baker, an officer recognizes that he may be unconscious. Officers request for Rescue to respond to the scene, who were already staged around the corner. Officers begin to check vital signs and it appears that Mr. Baker is not breathing although another officer can feel a pulse. Rescue was walked into scene where they took over the medical measures. Mr. Baker was transported to the hospital where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.
Members of the Aurora Police Major Crimes Homicide Unit responded to the scene and requested the assistance from the Denver Police Department to complete a thorough and comprehensive investigation. They were also assisted by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office.
The facts of the case were then presented to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office who ultimately concluded that no member of the Aurora Police Department violated any Colorado statute with respect to the events that occurred at 10653 E. Jewell on December 17, 2018.
This incident is now being reviewed by our Force Review board to determine if there were any policy violations.
Click the YouTube link below to watch the body worn camera video release.
Officer Matthew Longshore
Public Information Officer
720-432-5095
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Information previously released December 18, 2018.
On December 17, 2018 officers responded to a domestic disturbance at an apartment complex in the 10600 block of East Jewell Avenue, where one man ultimately died in the presence of Aurora Police Officers.
During a press conference on December 18, 2018, Chief Metz spoke about his experience in viewing body-worn camera videos that were captured by his officers. In part, the information that Chief Metz released is as follows:
As Officers approached a chaotic family disturbance, they heard screaming and ran to the apartment where the commotion was coming from. When they arrived, a man was choking an adult male in the living room where several small children were also present.
Officers immediately drew their tasers and pointed them at the man while giving multiple commands. The man turned on the officers and there was at least one taser deployment at this time which was ineffective.
A physical struggle started inside the apartment and then moved outside with the man and the officers. The man knocked the officers to the ground and at one point the man grabbed an officer’s baton and attempted to grab a taser.
Officers ordered the man to stop fighting, stop resisting, and to get on the ground repeatedly. In several instances officers appeared to gain control of the man, but he would start to fight again. Chief Metz remarked that he could hear family members and neighbors pleading with the man to stop fighting with police.
During this violent episode, the officers initiated a city-wide ‘help call’ and it took several minutes for more officers to arrive. By the time other officers arrived to assist, the three officers had been engaged in a violent fight for at least seven long minutes.
In the press conference, Chief Metz stated that in his 35-year law enforcement career this is one of the most violent altercations he had ever seen.
The man was finally taken to the ground & after a physical struggle on the ground, he was placed into handcuffs. Officers recognized that the male became unresponsive and initiated lifesaving efforts. Aurora Fire Rescue arrived to render aid and the subject was transported to an area hospital where he was declared deceased.
Chief Metz noted that there are limitations to what can be released at this time, pending a completed investigation by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office. That investigation will shed light as to the manner and cause of death.
The three initial responding Aurora Police Officers were described as follows: One male officer employed since June, 2017; one female lateral officer employed since February, 2016; one female officer employed since June, 2017. The suspect was described as an African American male, 5’8”, weighing 237 lbs.
No immediate updates are anticipated at this time, pending the completion of the Arapahoe County Coroner’s report.
The full press conference can be viewed here:
Office Anthony Camacho
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
(720) 432-5095
Information previously released on December 17, 2018
On December 17, 2018, about 6:15 PM Aurora Police Officers responded to a call of a physical family disturbance in the 10600 block of East Jewell Avenue at the Willowick Apartments.
When officers arrived they encountered a male in the apartment who was violently attacking family members. Because of the very violent actions the officers made a citywide ‘help call’ for additional assistance. Numerous officers responded from around the city to assist officers who were on-scene and involved with the violent male.
After the male was taken into custody, he became unresponsive. Officers administered life-saving efforts until medical personnel arrived. The male was transported to a local hospital where he was declared deceased. Two officers were also transported to area hospitals where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The identity of the deceased male, along with the cause and manner of death, will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office at a later time.
The involved officers have been placed on administrative reassignment with pay as per Aurora Police Department Policy.
This case is being investigated by the Aurora Police Department Major Crimes Unit in conjunction with the Denver Police Department Homicide Unit per our standard protocol.
The Aurora Police Department will provide additional details as they become available. We remind the public that this investigation is in its early stages and maintaining integrity of the investigation is a top priority.
Officer Anthony Camacho
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
(720) 432-5095