AURORA, Colo. — Four people inside a vehicle connected to a shooting in south Aurora were hospitalized after the driver reportedly crashed into an RTD light rail train about three miles away from the crime scene early Christmas morning.
Just before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, police said a shooting involving five people occurred on E. Kepner Place near the intersection with S. Racine Street.
Moments later, a gray colored Mazda was seen speeding away from the scene of the shooting before the driver crashed into an RTD light rail at Sable and Ellsworth. The crash site is located about three miles away from the shooting.
"It appears, based on video, that the Mazda tried to beat the train crossing the intersection and ended up striking almost directly against the driver's compartment of that train," said Aurora Police Commander Matthew Brukbacher.
Four of the five people inside the Mazda sustained injuries from the crash and were hospitalized, police said. One man suffered life-threatening injuries from the crash, while another was seriously injured after sustaining a gunshot wound and injury from the crash. Two women inside the vehicle sustained minor injuries from the crash and a third man was checked out on scene and was not taken to the hospital, a department spokesperson said.
Police said there were no outstanding suspects in the shooting and crash, and added that there was no danger to the community.
The RTD train impacted will be out of commission for an extended period of time, police said, and all lanes of Sable at Ellsworth were closed in both directions for several hours. The roadways have since reopened.
RTD was operating a shuttle bus between Florida and 13th Avenue stations in lieu of the train, according to an RTD spokesperson. Customers were encouraged to sign up for RTD Service Alerts to receive updates on any changes to the shuttered line.
The investigation is ongoing.
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