Homicide investigators arrested a teenage suspect in the death of a 14-year-old boy who was beaten, stabbed and shot in southwest Denver.
Josiaz "JoJo" Aragon (Metro Denver Crime Stoppers)
Police announced the arrest on Saturday in connection to the death of Josiaz "JoJo" Aragon.
The 17-year-old suspect, who was not identified because of age, is being held on investigation of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, tampering with physical evidence in a felony crime and possession of a handgun by a juvenile, police said in a news release.
On the afternoon of Aug. 8, police responded to the Southwest Recreation Center, 9200 W. Saratoga Place, where Aragon's body was found. The victim was found on a baseball field. At the time of his death, Aragon was just two days shy of his 15th birthday. A passer-by had spotted the body and alerted authorities.
At a news conference Saturday evening outside the recreation center, police said the pair knew each other through school and they had been discussing a gun sale over the summer. They met to finalize the gun deal when the crime occurred.
"The suspect violently assaulted the victim and ultimately killed him and robbed him," said Major Crimes Division Commander Matt Clark, at the news conference streamed by Denver7. "This was not a random encounter. It was a planned meeting that ended tragically."
Clark declined to disclose who was the gun buyer and who was the seller.
City Councilman Kevin Flynn lives close to the recreation center in the Marston neighborhood. Flynn said 140 community members gathered at the rec center shortly after the incident and that the community rallied to help police try to prevent such crimes.
"Guns in the hands of children produce terrible results," an emotional Flynn said, taking time to compose himself at one point. "We surely have to address youth gun violence in this city."
Interim Police Chief Ron Thomas spoke at the news conference, referring to the incident as "a very tragic situation."
An arrest warrant was issued Friday, and officers took the suspect into custody Friday night in southwest Denver.
"Over the course of the past seven weeks, Denver police homicide investigators tirelessly conducted an extensive, complex investigation resulting in the identification of the juvenile suspect," the release said.
The Denver district attorney's office will determine what charges, if any, will be filed in the case.
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