Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser has ruled that Aurora police officers who shot and killed 19-year-old Christopher Lepe on March 19, 2025, will not face criminal charges, finding their use of deadly force justified. The decision comes after a months-long review of body-worn camera footage, squad videos, and other evidence from a pursuit that started in Geneva and ended on Aurora’s east side.
"In conducting this review, my office thoroughly examined all available body-worn camera footage, squad vehicle camera footage, and other evidence," Mosser said, adding that "it is clear to me that the officers here had a reasonable belief that their use of force was necessary to protect themselves and others from great harm." The conclusion was shared publicly on Friday, according to FOX 32 Chicago.
How the chase unfolded
The incident began just after 1:30 a.m. when a Geneva officer approached a vehicle parked in the 1500 block of S. Randall Road and believed the driver appeared intoxicated. When the officer tried to detain him, the driver sped off and dragged the officer, who suffered a completely fractured kneecap. Aurora officers and Kane County units later tracked the car, and the pursuit ended when spike strips were deployed near Broadway and Hazel Avenue, and multiple squad cars surrounded the vehicle, according to CBS News Chicago.
What officers say they saw
Body-worn footage released in March shows Lepe stepping from his vehicle holding what appeared to be an AR-15-style rifle. Prosecutors later said the weapon was an air gun and that two Aurora officers fired several rounds after he pointed the gun at them. A K-9 was used to pull him from the car, and he was taken to Rush-Copley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Kane County coroner listed multiple gunshot wounds as the cause of death and said toxicology showed a 0.125 blood-alcohol concentration and cannabis in his system, as reported by the Daily Herald.
Family reaction and community response
Lepe's family and supporters held a vigil and demanded answers, saying the video clips they were shown did not match their view of what happened. Local coverage shows protesters pressing for the release of unedited footage and for accountability after the initial images and video were published, according to reporting on the release of unedited footage.
Investigation, legal context, and next steps
The Kane County Major Crimes Task Force led the independent probe and provided its report to the state’s attorney, per a March 19, 2025, news release from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office (Kane County SAO). With Mosser's ruling, the criminal-review phase is closed. Families may still seek civil remedies or request further review from federal authorities, but the state's attorney said the available evidence did not support criminal charges.
Mosser offered condolences to Lepe's family while stressing that officers could not have known the rifle was not real when they fired. The ruling is likely to renew debate locally about the use of force and transparency. The officers involved had been placed on administrative leave during the inquiry, and that internal or departmental review is separate from the prosecutor's criminal decision.
