DENVER — The family of a 15-year-old who died after he was shot eight times last week in Denver is now searching for answers.
Just after 9 p.m. on Oct. 5, Denver police officers responded to the 3100 block of N. Downing Street after a shooting was reported. When police arrived, they found that two people had been shot. Both were taken to the hospital. One of the victims later died, and has been identified by family as 15-year-old Edward Armijo-Preciado.
Deb Sena said she is Armijo-Preciado's great aunt, and that the teenager lived with her for a little more than a year.
“He always had a smile on his face," Sena said, after meeting Denver7 at the corner of 31st and Downing. “If you met him or just got introduced to him, he would come up to you and shake your hand, 'pleasure to meet you.'”
Sena said Armijo-Preciado was walking his girlfriend and her sister to a bus stop near the intersection on Wednesday night when another pedestrian shot at them. Sena said the shooter hit Armijo-Preciado eight times, and hit his girlfriend once in the ankle.
“We were in the dark. What happened to him? You know, he just took his girlfriend to the movies. That's what we knew," Sena said. “There's got to be footage. I mean, I took pictures of over 30 cameras that are here."
Armijo-Preciado was taken to the hospital. Sena said on Saturday he was pronounced brain dead.
“I want to make sure that the person is caught. I mean, he was slaughtered with eight bullets, and I want to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else's kids," Sena said, urging parents to watch their children closely. “They need to know what their children are doing. They need to. These kids are carrying weapons.”
As of Monday, Sena said no arrest has been made in connection to the case.
The Denver Police Department is requesting the public's assistance in solving this crime. DPD encourages anyone who knows something about the incident to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers (720-913-7867. Callers can remain anonymous, and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.