Confrontation With Assault Rifle Leads To Murder Charge: Report

DENVER, CO — A Denver man is behind bars on a first-degree murder charge, accused by police of using an assault rifle to shoot and kill a man last week who was trying to break into his car, according to media reports. The Denver Police Department says Brice Fitch, 24, fired several shots from an AR-15 at an individual whose body was later found in Aurora, KUSA-TV 9News reported.

The shooting victim was identified Monday as 26-year-old Guillermo Medrano-Sandoval, 9News reported. An arrest affidavit filed in the case stated that he died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

The incident began at about 4 a.m. Friday, April 19, in the 300 block of South Jasmine Street in Denver. Fitch told the police that he confronted two people who were breakjng into his car.

Fitch said he went back inside his home to get his AR-15 and told another person there to call police, 9News reported. He then walked toward the break-in suspect’s car, a Dodge Charger, and saw a man and woman getting into the vehicle.

Fitch told police his AR-15 went off when he fell, and that he had his hand on the trigger, pulling it by accident, 9News reported. The affidavit stated that the Charger then stopped in the middle of the block; Fitch said he shot at the back of it twice, hitting it in the rear.

The Charger was last seen heading northbound on Jasmine, 9News reported. At 1 p.m., Aurora police found it five miles away in the 12600 block of of East Exposition Avenue, with Medrano-Sandoval's body inside.

(Stay up-to-date with Metro Denver news with Patch! There are many ways for you to connect and stay in touch: Free Newsletters and Email Alerts | Facebook)