AURORA, Colo. — Aurora Police said one of the teens arrested following a shooting near an Aurora basketball court was in possession of an illegally modified handgun.
That handgun was equipped with an auto switch.
The Denver Field Division of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) said auto switches can be made on 3D printers and quickly installed on the back of a handgun, allowing it to empty a 30-round magazine in seconds.
“The only purpose for them is to convert a firearm into a machine gun,” said Cody Toy, with the ATF Firearms Technology Criminal Branch, in a 2022 interview with Denver7.
This week, Aurora police arrested two teens in connection to a shooting that injured two boys near a basketball court.
Investigators said one of the teens, just 15 years old, had an illegally modified handgun equipped with one of these auto switches.
Detectives found multiple shell casings at the scene but say it’s unclear whether the illegal handgun recovered from the 15-year-old was used in the shooting.
The City of Aurora said it’s taking steps to reduce youth crime during the summer, launching a program called Summer Vibes, a series of afternoon events at parks across the city.
Aurora also offers teens free access to recreation centers during school breaks.
“We’re trying to make sure that teens and youth in Aurora have a safe space to go,” said Lexie Ries with Aurora Parks, Rec & Open Space.
From creating safe spaces to recognizing auto switches, the hope is to keep teens safer this summer.
“That’s exactly what we’re going for. We’re trying to create a safe environment for teens and our youth in Aurora,” said Ries.
