A juvenile was killed and another juvenile was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon after a shooting at the Clover Basin apartment complex in the 4500 block of Redmond Drive in Longmont. Officers arrived at about 3:53 p.m. and found a deceased juvenile inside an apartment, officials said. Authorities have not released the identities or ages of those involved.
According to the Denver Gazette, the Longmont Public Safety Department said in a Facebook post that officers responded to the scene and that another juvenile was arrested. The outlet reports that police did not identify either the suspect or the victim and did not disclose what charges the juvenile may face. The city has asked anyone who witnessed the shooting to contact Longmont Public Safety at (303) 651-8555 and reference report #26-3448; the department's public contact page lists that number as the nonemergency line.
Police call it an isolated incident
Longmont Public Safety told residents the shooting appears to be an isolated incident and that "there is not a threat to the community." Detectives were expected to remain at the complex into the evening to investigate as officers processed the scene, according to the Denver Gazette.
Context: Youth gun violence in Colorado
Gun violence remains a leading cause of death for young people in Colorado. Everytown for Gun Safety reports that guns are the second leading cause of death among children and teens in the state, with an average of about 84 child and teen gun deaths per year.
What comes next legally
Officials have not announced any formal charges. Under Colorado law, prosecutors may "direct file" certain juveniles in adult district court for serious felonies; the statute governing direct filing is C.R.S. §19-2-517. Whether this case is handled in juvenile or adult court will depend on the investigation and decisions by the district attorney's office.
Longmont investigators were expected to continue working the case into the evening. Anyone with information or video is asked to contact Longmont Public Safety's nonemergency line at (303) 651-8555 and reference report #26-3448.
