DENVER (KDVR) — Opening statements are expected to begin Tuesday in the trial of a man charged with firing a gun at a Jeep he thought was trying to run over protestors in Aurora.
The shooting happened on July 25, 2020, at the height of the nationwide movement against police violence.
Samuel Young, 24, was with a group who marched onto I-225 in Aurora and blocked the highway. The group was protesting police actions in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd and Elijah McClain.
At one point, a blue Jeep came speeding down the highway, past the crowd. The crowd rushed to get out of the way. That’s when prosecutors say Young pulled out his gun and fired six shots at the jeep. The bullets hit the back of the jeep. Two fellow protestors were slightly wounded but the driver of the Jeep was not hit.
Young was originally charged with attempted murder but those charges have been reduced to four counts of attempted reckless manslaughter, two counts of assault, and one count of illegally firing a gun.
Some in the crowd say it appeared the driver was intentionally driving at the protestors. But the driver of the jeep was never charged with a crime.
Opening statements are expected to begin Tuesday afternoon.