Police Arrest Man Who Shot at Jeep During Black Lives Matter Protest

Police Arrest Man Who Shot at Jeep During Black Lives Matter Protest
People shut down I-225 to protest the death of Elijah McClain in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
Zachary Stieber
7/28/2020
Updated:
7/28/2020
The man who opened fire on a Jeep on a highway during a Black Lives Matter protest was arrested and is facing attempted homicide charges, police said late Monday.

Samuel Young, 22, was arrested by Aurora, Colo., police officers on an arrest warrant from the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Young is facing four counts of attempted homicide.

A man who appears to be Young was captured on camera firing a handgun at a Jeep on I-225 on Saturday.

The Jeep was traveling northbound around 7 p.m., heading toward a crowd of protesters who were blocking the interstate.

Video footage showed protesters scattering just before the Jeep moved through the area. Some of them stepped toward the vehicle and hurled objects at it while a white male whipped out a gun and fired multiple rounds.

Two other protesters were struck by the bullets, police said. Both were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. One was later released.

The Jeep didn’t strike any protesters.

A man shoots at a Jeep speeding on a highway in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
A man shoots at a Jeep speeding on a highway in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
Samuel Young walks in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Aurora Police Department)
Samuel Young walks in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Aurora Police Department)
Paramedics tend to a woman who jumped off the side of the highway to avoid a car, in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
Paramedics tend to a woman who jumped off the side of the highway to avoid a car, in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
Paramedics tend to a man who was shot during a protest that was blocking I-225 in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
Paramedics tend to a man who was shot during a protest that was blocking I-225 in Aurora, Colo., on July 25, 2020. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)

The man driving the Jeep later exited the interstate and found officers who were investigating a separate unrelated crash. He explained what happened and was questioned.

Pending an investigation, the man was released, though his Jeep was impounded as part of the probe.

The man said his Jeep was surrounded by protesters who yelled and struck his vehicle. He also said a white pickup truck struck the front of his vehicle.

“He claims that the reason that he drove toward the protesters is because he was scared and trying to get away,” Aurora Police Department said in an incident summary.

A police spokesman told The Epoch Times on Tuesday that the actions of the driver are still being investigated. Officers are in communication with the district attorney’s office.

Asked if protesters were illegally blocking the road, the spokesman said in an email, “Pedestrians are legally not allowed to be walking on an interstate.”

I-255 was closed on Saturday just south of Alameda.

“No vehicles ever got past our blockade once we stopped traffic. The Jeep was either ahead of our blockade and stuck behind the protesters or entered the interstate from Alameda where the protesters had their own blockade,” the spokesman said.