On December 17th, 2018, Officers from the Aurora Police Department responded to 10653 East Jewell Avenue after a woman called 911 saying that there was a verbal and physical domestic fight occurring inside of the apartment.

Officers arrived on scene approximately 7 minutes later and as they approached the apartment, could hear yelling and screaming. As officers approached the door, they could see a male actively choking another male. Officers began to give verbal commands during this loud and very chaotic scene. One of the involved males then turns his attention officers and begins to advance on them. This male is later identified as Mr. David Baker.

Two different officers deployed their Tasers but neither had any effect. After the 2 unsuccessful Taser attempts, Mr. Baker pushes an officer out of the apartment and continues to fight. After some baton strikes that prove to be ineffective, the fight makes its way outside. Once outside, officers attempt to go hands on with Mr. Baker who instead throws an officer to the ground, injuring them. Mr. Baker continues to advance on the officers and ends up grabbing an officer’s baton and attempts to take it away.

At one point, an officer is in a position to apply a carotid control hold. While attempting to apply the carotid control hold, Mr. Baker is able to turn himself around and then places his hands around an officer’s neck and begins to choke him for several seconds. Other officers notice that the officer is being choked, attempt to drive-stun Mr. Baker as well as deliver baton strikes to his legs, all of which had no effect.

After finally letting go of our officers throat, Mr. Baker turns and begins to walk towards the open apartment door. Someone on the inside of the apartment notices this and quickly closes the door. Mrs. Baker is left outside pleading to her husband to please stop.

An officer attempts to de-escalate the situation by putting away his baton and going hands on instead. While trying to gain control of Mr. Bakers arm and take him to the ground, Mr. Baker is able to fight through and continues to fight officers. Officers then begin to punch, kick, and use their Taser to drive-stun Mr. Baker in an attempt to place him into custody. During all of this, Mrs. Baker, as well as a neighbor who has heard the yelling and screaming, are now both pleading to Mr. Baker to stop fighting.

Mr. Baker is finally taken to the ground but continues to kick and fight with officers as they attempt to take him into custody. Now over 6 minutes into the fight, the first backup officers arrive on scene. Mr. Baker is laying on his arms preventing officers from placing into handcuffs. An officer has to use his baton as a pry tool to get one of his arms free in order to successfully handcuff him. Once officers finally get his second arm free, it takes 4 pairs of handcuffs, linked together, to properly restrain Mr. Baker.

Feeling that Mr. Baker is still kicking, officers mention the use of hobbles. Officers prepare to apply a hobble, which consists of a separate waist chain and feet restraints. At NO time during a hobble do the hands ever get attached to the feet as they would in a hogtie. Also, while officers only mentioned applying hobbles, neither the separate waist chain nor the feet restraints were ever successfully applied.

As officers continue to effectively gain complete control of Mr. Baker, an officer recognizes that he may be unconscious. Officers request for Rescue to respond to the scene, who were already staged around the corner. Officers begin to check vital signs and it appears that Mr. Baker is not breathing although another officer can feel a pulse. Rescue was walked into scene where they took over the medical measures. Mr. Baker was transported to the hospital where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.

Members of the Aurora Police Major Crimes Homicide Unit responded to the scene and requested the assistance from the Denver Police Department to complete a thorough and comprehensive investigation. They were also assisted by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office.

The facts of the case were then presented to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office who ultimately concluded that no member of the Aurora Police Department violated any Colorado statute with respect to the events that occurred at 10653 E. Jewell on December 17, 2018.

This incident is now being reviewed by our Force Review board to determine if there were any policy violations.

Click the YouTube link below to watch the body worn camera video release.



Officer Matthew Longshore
Public Information Officer
720-432-5095
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Information previously released December 18, 2018.

On December 17, 2018 officers responded to a domestic disturbance at an apartment complex in the 10600 block of East Jewell Avenue, where one man ultimately died in the presence of Aurora Police Officers.

Information previously released on December 17, 2018

On December 17, 2018, about 6:15 PM Aurora Police Officers responded to a call of a physical family disturbance in the 10600 block of East Jewell Avenue at the Willowick Apartments.

When officers arrived they encountered a male in the apartment who was violently attacking family members. Because of the very violent actions the officers made a citywide ‘help call’ for additional assistance. Numerous officers responded from around the city to assist officers who were on-scene and involved with the violent male.

After the male was taken into custody, he became unresponsive. Officers administered life-saving efforts until medical personnel arrived. The male was transported to a local hospital where he was declared deceased. Two officers were also transported to area hospitals where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The identity of the deceased male, along with the cause and manner of death, will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office at a later time.

The involved officers have been placed on administrative reassignment with pay as per Aurora Police Department Policy.
This case is being investigated by the Aurora Police Department Major Crimes Unit in conjunction with the Denver Police Department Homicide Unit per our standard protocol.

The Aurora Police Department will provide additional details as they become available. We remind the public that this investigation is in its early stages and maintaining integrity of the investigation is a top priority.

Officer Anthony Camacho
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
(720) 432-5095

Today the Aurora Police Department was notified by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office that the body that was discovered in the Olympic Park Pond has been positively identified as David Puckett. No traumatic injuries were found during the autopsy. Further investigation and studies need to be completed before the Coroner can determine a cause and manner of death. 

The Aurora Police Crimes Against Children Unit is still actively investigating this incident to determine the circumstance surrounding David’s death.

Arapahoe County Coroner's Office News Release.

Sergeant Chris Amsler
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095

Information previously released on January 2, 2017:
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On Monday January 2, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. the Aurora Police Department conducted a second press briefing on the grounds of the Yale Elementary School located at 16001 East Yale Avenue. The following information was shared:

We would like to continue to thank the public for their continued support in helping us find David, and again thank you to the media who have played an important role in helping us find David.

We began with answering questions from today's earlier press briefing, and provided the following answers:

David was confirmed to have been seen by someone other than his family earlier on Saturday.

David went missing approximately one hour prior to the Aurora Police Department being notified. The reason for the delay was the family began searching for David in locations they believed they might find him.

David has three other juvenile siblings living in the home.

The family has been cooperative with police, and investigators have thoroughly searched the home multiple times.

We are speaking with all known sex offenders in the area as part of our investigation.

The FBI coordinated road canvasses today. This is just another tool we use to help bring awareness to finding David.

A Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Bloodhound responded immediately to the scene the night David went missing.

Arapahoe Rescue Patrol and officers, have checked bodies of water in the area.

We are asking for the public to call our tip lines immediately if you believe you have found something of interest to this investigation. Additionally, we are asking everyone to not share or report those items on social media as they are not monitored 24/7, and we would like an officer to respond immediately.

The public can help by physically searching their homes, automobiles, and any structures on their property where a child may be able to hide. Children may not respond to you by simply calling their name, so its important to physically search these areas.

The Metro Crime Stoppers Denver (MCSD) have previously offered a $2,000.00 reward, with an additional $3,000.00 special reward. Today, The Aurora Police Reward Fund has contributed $5,000.00 bringing the total reward fund up to $10,000.00. You can call CrimeStoppers at 720-913-STOP or text DMCS at 274637 and remain anonymous. See the flier with reward information here #FindingDavidReward.pdf.

Tomorrow our press briefings will be held at a different location, and we will provide the time and new location via Twitter tomorrow morning. 

Again, we would like to thank our local, state and federal law enforcement partners including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for their continued supporting in #FindingDavid.

Officer Crystal McCoy
Public Information Officer
Officer of the Chief of Police
Media Relations Unit
DESK: 303-739-6038
On-Call PIO Line 720-432-5095