Breaking Down LGBTQA+ Barriers in Teen and Adult Fiction
“Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas
 Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.
“Carry On” by Rainbow Rowell
 Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen.
That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.
Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.
“The Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue” by Mackenzi Lee
 Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
“Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid Speculative Fiction” by Brit Mandelo
 Speculative fiction is the literature of questions, of challenges and imagination, and what better to question than the ways in which gender and sexuality have been rigidly defined, partitioned off, put in little boxes? These seventeen stories explore the ways in which identity can go beyond binary from space colonies to small college towns, from angels to androids, and from a magical past to other worlds entirely, the authors in this collection have brought to life wonderful tales starring people who proudly define (and redefine) their own genders, sexualities, identities, and so much else in between.
“Love Beyond Body, Space, and Time” by Hope Nicholson
 Love Beyond, Body, Space, and Time" is a collection of indigenous science fiction and urban fantasy focusing on LGBT and two-spirit characters. These stories range from a transgender woman trying an experimental transition medication to young lovers separated through decades and meeting far in their own future. These are stories of machines and magic, love, and self-love.
Breaking Down Protagonists of Color Barriers in Teen and Adult Fiction
“Dread Nation” by Justina Ireland
 Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.
But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.
“Children of Blood and Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi
 Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.
“Legendborn” by Tracy Deonn
 After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.
“The Gilda Stories” by Jewelle Gomez
 The winner of two Lambda Literary Awards (fiction and science fiction) The Gilda Stories is a very lesbian American odyssey. Escaping from slavery in the 1850s Gilda's longing for kinship and community grows over two hundred years. Her induction into a family of benevolent vampyres takes her on an adventurous and dangerous journey full of loud laughter and subtle terror.
“The Poppy War” by R. F. Kuang
 A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.
When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.
But surprises aren’t always good.
Breaking Down Non-Ableist Barriers in Teen and Adult Fiction
“The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks” by Mackenzi Lee
 Return to the enchanting world of the Montague siblings in the finale to the New York Times bestselling and Stonewall Honor-winning series, featuring a teenage Adrian Montague as he desperately seeks the now adult Monty and Felicity—the older siblings he never knew he had.
Adrian Montague has a bright future. The sole heir to his father's estate, he is an up and coming political writer and engaged to an activist who challenges and inspires him. But most young Lords aren't battling the debilitating anxiety Adrian secretly lives with, or the growing fear that it might consume him and all he hopes to accomplish. In the wake of his mother's unexpected death, Adrian is also concerned people will find out that he has the mental illness she struggled with for years.
When a newly found keepsake of hers—a piece of a broken spyglass—comes into Adrian's possession, he's thrust into the past and finds himself face to face with an older brother he never knew he had. Henry "Monty" Montague has been living quietly in London for years, and his sudden appearance sends Adrian on a quest to unravel family secrets that only the spyglass can answer.
In pursuit of answers about the relic, the brothers chart a course to locate their sister Felicity. But as they travel between the pirate courts of Rabat, Portuguese islands, the canals of Amsterdam, and into unknown Artic waters, the Montague siblings are thrown into one final adventure as they face a ghostly legend that threatens their whole family.
“Magonia” by Maria Dahvana Headley
 Since she was a baby, Aza Ray Boyle has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn’t think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.
Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found by another. Magonia.
Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—but as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war between Magonia and Earth is coming. In Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?
“The Blade Itself” by Joe Abercrombie
 Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian — leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies.
Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.
Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.
Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult.
Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood.
Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.
“A Curse so Dark and Lonely” by Brit Mandelo
 Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she's pulled into a magical world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom. Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. A prince? A curse? A monster? As she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
“For a Muse of Fire” by Heidi Heilig
 Jetta’s family is famed as the most talented troupe of shadow players in the land. With Jetta behind the scrim, their puppets seem to move without string or stick a trade secret, they say. In truth, Jetta can see the souls of the recently departed and bind them to the puppets with her blood. But the old ways are forbidden ever since the colonial army conquered their country, so Jetta must never show never tell. Her skill and fame are her family’s way to earn a spot aboard the royal ship to Aquitan, where shadow plays are the latest rage, and where rumor has it the Mad King has a spring that cures his ills. Because seeing spirits is not the only thing that plagues Jetta. But as rebellion seethes and as Jetta meets a young smuggler, she will face truths and decisions that she never imagined—and safety will never seem so far away. Heidi Heilig creates a world inspired by Asian cultures and French colonialism.
Breaking Down Queer and Found Family Barriers in Teen and Adult Fiction
“The Weight of the Stars” by K Ancrm
 Ryann Bird dreams of traveling across the stars. But a career in space isn’t an option for a girl who lives in a trailer park on the wrong side of town. So Ryann becomes her circumstances and settles for acting out and skipping school to hang out with her delinquent friends.
One day she meets Alexandria: a furious loner who spurns Ryann’s offer of friendship. After a horrific accident leaves Alexandria with a broken arm, the two misfits are brought together despite themselves—and Ryann learns her secret: Alexandria’s mother is an astronaut who volunteered for a one-way trip to the edge of the solar system.
Every night without fail, Alexandria waits to catch radio signals from her mother. And its up to Ryann to lift her onto the roof day after day until the silence between them grows into friendship, and eventually something more . . .
In K. Ancrum’s signature poetic style, this slow-burn romance will have you savoring every page.
"Every Heart a Doorway" by Seanan McGuire
 Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.
No matter the cost.
“Labyrinth Lost” by Zoraida Cordova
Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo she can’t trust, but who may be Alex’s only chance at saving her family.
“The Gilded Ones” by Namina Forna
 Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity--and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki--near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.
Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be--not even Deka herself.
“The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune
 A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.
When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.
But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.
An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.
If You Like That, Try This!
by APL Staff
Looking for something new to read? We've got you covered! Check out our staff recommendations for your favorite fantasy books and series and discover something new! Each image links to the item in our catalog so you can play a hold and start enjoying as soon as possible. Let us know in the comments which books is your favorite and which ones you're adding to your to-read list!
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This afternoon, Chief of Police Vanessa Wilson terminated the employment of Officer Douglas Wilkinson.
Following an outside investigation conducted by the City’s Human Resources Department, Chief Wilson sustained Mr. Wilkinson for violation of the City of Aurora's Anti-Harassment Policy and the Aurora Police Department's Directive regarding Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Harassment .
The investigation was opened following an email sent by Mr. Wilkinson to approximately 235 members of the department on November 16, 2021. Five employees came forward making a complaint about the contents of this email.
Mr. Wilkinson was hired in 2002 and prior to being placed on Administrative Leave he was assigned to District 3 Patrol.
Disciplinary Order
Lieutenant Chris Amsler-PIO
Commanding Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
On January 31, 2022 at 7:02p.m. Aurora Police responded to a report of a two car injury crash in the intersection of South Aurora Parkway and South Southlands Parkway in southeast Aurora.
Investigators believe that a Hyundai Santa Fe was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Aurora Parkway when it was struck head-on by a Nissan Rogue.
A 52-year-old woman who was the driver of the Hyundai was transported to local hospital were still later succumb to her injuries. A 42-year-old man who was driving the Nissan was also transported to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition.
The identity of the woman is not being released at this time. It will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner's Office once she has been positively identified and her next of kin have been notified about her death.
The Aurora Police Traffic Section is conducting the investigation into this crash.
Lieutenant Chris Amsler-PIO
Commanding Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
On January 30th, 2022 at approximately 4:55a.m. Aurora Police responded to a report of a shooting at a residence in the 1500 block of North Dallas Street in northwest Aurora.
Upon arrival officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Investigators believe that there was a gathering at the residence when shots were fired and the man was struck. At this time no arrests have been made and no suspect(s) have been identified.
The name of the victim is not being released at this time and will be released by the Adams County Coroner's Office once the victim has been positively identified and his next of kin have been notified of his death.
Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.7807. Tipsters are eligible for a reward of up to $2,000 and may remain anonymous.
Lieutenant Chris Amsler-PIO
Commanding Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
On January 29th, 2022 at approximately 6:45p.m. Aurora Police responded to a report of an injury crash in the intersection of East Iliff Avenue and South Tower Road.
Upon arrival they found a heavily damaged Chevy Equinox and Chrysler 300. A 61-year-old man who was driving the Chevy was deceased at the scene. A 25-year-old man who was driving the Chrysler and his 19-year-old passenger survived the collision and were transported to a local hospital in serious condition.
Investigators believe that prior to the crash the Chevy was traveling southbound on Tower Road and the Chrysler was traveling northbound. The Chevy made a left hand turn to go eastbound on Iliff Avenue when it was struck by the Chrysler. Investigators are looking into whether or not excessive speed was a contributing factor in this collision.
The name of the deceased is not being released at this time and will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner's Office once he has been positively identified and his next of kin have been notified about his death.
The Aurora Police Traffic Section is conducting the investigation into this fatal crash. No arrests have been made and this case remains an open and active investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed this collision is asked to call the Traffic Investigations Unit.
Parts of the intersection were closed for several hours while investigators completed their on-scene investigation.
Lieutenant Chris Amsler-PIO
Commanding Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
On January 29th, 2022 at 6:43p.m. Aurora Police responded to a report of an injury crash on East Stephen D. Hogan Parkway between East 6th Avenue and South Picadilly Road.
Upon arrival first responders found a heavily damaged Toyota Tundra pickup truck and a Honda Pilot in the roadway. A 60-year-old man who was the driver of the Toyota was deceased at the scene. A 18-year-old woman who was driving a Honda Pilot was transported to a local hospital in serious condition.
Investigators believe that the Honda Pilot was traveling westbound on Hogan Parkway when it crossed the center line and traveled into the eastbound lanes striking the Toyota Tundra head-on. The driver of the Toyota was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision. Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to have been a contributing factor in this crash.
The name of the deceased is not being released at this time and will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner's Office once he has been positively identified and his next of kin have been notified.
The Aurora Police Traffic Section is conducting the investigation into this fatal crash. No arrests have been made and this case remains an open and active investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed this collision is asked to call the Traffic Investigation Unit.
Both directions of Hogan Parkway were closed for several hours while investigators completed their on-scene investigation.
Lieutenant Chris Amsler-PIO
Commanding Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
(January 24) The Aurora Police Major Crimes Unit, in coordination with Fire Investigators from Aurora Fire Rescue and the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, is announcing the arrest of a woman accused of starting the fire that killed a five-year-old boy earlier this morning.
On January 24, 2022, about 1:30 a.m., Aurora Police and Aurora Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire at 15320 East Evans Avenue. Aurora Police and Fire Investigators immediately began looking into how this fire started and if it was intentional. Through interviews with numerous witnesses, and by examining physical evidence from the scene, detectives positively identified a woman whom they believe was involved.
This woman, identified as Alondra Michel (04/13/1984), has been arrested and initially charged with:
- First Degree Murder
- First Degree Arson
- Three (3) counts of Attempted First Degree Murder
Additional charges could be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
Early information obtained in the investigation is that Alondra was involved in a domestic violence incident with a resident on the main level of the apartment building. Alondra intentionally set something inside of the apartment on fire, which quickly spread to adjacent units, including the second story apartment where the five-year-old was found.
This investigation is now being considered a homicide, the second in Aurora for 2022, and will be prosecuted by the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Any additional media inquiries should be directed to their office.
A booking photo is not yet available for release.
Agent Matthew Longshore
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
(Information Previously Released)
(January 24) The Aurora Police Major Crimes Unit, in coordination with Fire Investigators from Aurora Fire Rescue, will be investigating an early morning fire that resulted in the death of a small child.
On January 24, 2022, about 1:30 a.m., Aurora Police and Aurora Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire at 15320 East Evans Avenue. First responders arrived at a 3-story apartment building that was engulfed in flames. During searches of the building, a five-year-old boy was located. This child was quickly transported to the hospital where they sadly died a short time later. No other information is being provided about the child.
Detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Unit responded to the scene and will be responsible for the death investigation. Investigators with Aurora Fire Rescue will continue their work into the determination of origin and cause of the fire.
Investigators are currently interviewing numerous witnesses and gathering evidence on scene. Anyone who may have observed anything suspicious, or has information about this case, is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.7867. By using Crime Stoppers, tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause of death and release the victim’s name after positive identification.
The Aurora Police Department offers our deepest condolences to the immediate family and community impacted by this fire. The Aurora Police Victim Services Unit continues to provide support and resources to the family of this tragedy.
Agent Matthew Longshore
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
Link to AFR News Release: https://bit.ly/AFRFireInvestigation
(January 18) The Aurora Police Major Crimes Homicide Unit is investigating after a man was found shot, dies a short time later, in northwest Aurora.
On January 18, 2022, about 11:00 p.m., the Aurora Police Department responded to the area of East 16th Avenue and North Lansing Street on reports of a man-down. Officers located a 63-year-old man lying in the roadway, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. This man was transported to the hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
Detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Homicide Unit responded to the scene and will be responsible for this investigation. At this early stage in the investigation, the facts and circumstances that led up to this death, to include suspect descriptions, are still be determined.
A white truck was located nearby that had been involved in a crash. The truck was stolen and unoccupied. Detectives have towed this vehicle and will process it, but we are uncertain if this vehicle is directly related to this homicide.
The Adams County Coroner’s Office will release the victim’s name after positive identification and notification of next-of-kin.
We are seeking the public's assistance. Anyone who may have observed anything suspicious, or has information about this case, is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.7867. By using Crime Stoppers, tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
This is Aurora’s first homicide of 2022.
Agent Matthew Longshore
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
(January 17) The Aurora Police Traffic Section is investigating a fatal crash that occurred on North Potomac Street.
On Monday January 17, 2022, at about 7:25 p.m., Aurora Police responded a two-vehicle crash near the intersection of North Potomac Street and East 2nd Avenue.
The investigation has revealed that a man was driving a Nissan sedan northbound on Potomac Street just south of the East 2nd Avenue intersection. The man did not slow for the upcoming red light and rear-ended a Subaru, occupied by two adults, stopped for the red light.
The driver of the Nissan was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. It does not appear that the driver of the Nissan was wearing his seatbelt and investigators believe that speed and alcohol were also contributing factors. The two occupants of the Subaru suffered minor injuries and were both transported to the hospital.
The identification of the man will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office once he has been positively identified and next-of-kin have been notified.
We ask anyone who may have witnessed this crash or has dash-camera footage of the crash, and has not yet spoken to police, to contact the Aurora Police Traffic Section.
This is Aurora’s second fatal crash in 2022.
Agent Matthew Longshore
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
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