AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Update, Dec. 22: A man accused in the fatal shooting of a teenager has been formally charged with murder.
According to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office, Adam Holen has been charged with:
- 1 count of second-degree murder (Felony Class 2),
- 1 count of felony menacing (Felony Class 5),
- 1 count of prohibited use of a weapon (Misdemeanor Class 2), and
- 2 violent crime sentence enhancers.
Original: The Aurora Police Department submitted an arrest warrant for second-degree murder in the case of a former cop engaging in a shootout with a 17-year-old boy on the eve of Thanksgiving.
Former Greenwood Village police officer Adam Holen is accused of exchanging gunfire with Peyton Blitstein driving in the neighborhood of 4900 block of South Addison Way on Nov. 24. Blitstein later died and Holen was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
Surveillance video shows the escalation of the argument and the shots fired. Aurora police say it started as a confrontation between an adult and a group of teenagers over a careless driving incident. As the argument escalated, shots were fired.
According to an Aurora police spokesman, the warrant is still being reviewed by the district attorney’s office. John Kellner, the district attorney in the 18th Judicial District, will ultimately decide whether or not the charges will be filed.
As of Monday afternoon, a judge had not yet signed the warrant, so it is not considered active, according to an APD spokesman.
Teen’s father reacts
Bitstein’s father, Todd Blitstein, is still hopeful that charges will be filed in the death of his son. He said he has been in weekly contact with the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office.
“Talking to the D.A., it’s still way up in the air,” Blitstein said Monday.
Authorities say the 17-year-old also fired at the former officer and they’re still trying to figure out the primary aggressor in the case.
“You get these types of words, you get all excited — thank goodness there’s closure — and then, it’s like, no, not yet,” Todd Blitstein said.
Blitstein said every day is hard. Christmas could prove to be the hardest yet.
“You realize there’s not gonna be any more gingerbread houses,” he said. “There’s not gonna be any more hugs — nothing.”