Gun Struggle Led To Death Of Charter HS Student: Police

DENVER, CO – A struggle over a gun led to the death of the teen found shot the morning of April 11 near the West Bar Val Wood Park playing fields, Denver police said in an affidavit released Friday.

The Denver District Attorney's office announced that an unnamed juvenile would be charged as an adult in the death of Bryan DeHerrera, 16, who was found wounded in the 100 block of South Yuma Street in Denver’s Valverde neighborhood.

Denver Police officers responded to a 911 call of shots being fired and found the male juvenile victim on the ground suffering from apparent gunshots wounds. DeHerrera was transported by ambulance to Denver Health Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, the DA's office said in a statement.

Police searching DeHerrera's phone found evidence of a social media negotiation to purchase a "pole" or handgun from the accused teen, whom police believe was a fellow student at Colorado High School Charter, an arrest affidavit said.

According to the police affidavit, DeHerrera and the unnamed suspect agreed to meet April 11 so DeHerrera could buy the gun. DeHerrera was seen on a convenience store surveillance video around 9 a.m., withdrawing $360 from an ATM, in the 100 block of Knox Street, police said.

Police determined the identity of the fellow student who allegedly shot DeHerrera, and arrested him at him home on April 26, about one block from the scene of the crime, the arrest affidavit said.

The student told police he sold DeHererra the loaded 9 mm gun, but then DeHerrera pointed it at him and the two struggled over the weapon, the arrest affidavit said. He said he managed to take the gun back and shot DeHerrera, then fled.

The juvenile was charged in Denver District Court May 1. His next scheduled court appearance is Monday, May 6.

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