The Aurora Police Department on Thursday released body camera video of a deadly shooting that occurred earlier this month at an airport shuttle parking lot in northeast Aurora. An officer shot and killed a 32-year-old suspect.

The initial 911 call came in on May 12 at 2:58 p.m. from the manager of The Parking Spot, a private airport shuttle lot near East 56th Avenue and Himalaya Street. The caller reported a man walking around the lot, appearing disoriented and possibly under the influence.

Over the next two hours, the staff called dispatch multiple times, reporting that the man had become increasingly agitated -- attempting to open car doors and fight both patrons and staff.

The call was low priority at first. By 5:18 p.m., the call was upgraded, and one Aurora police officer was dispatched.

The officer arrived at 5:28 p.m. and located 32-year-old Rashaud Johnson, who was shoeless and unresponsive to questions.

Chief Todd Chamberlain said the officer attempted multiple de-escalation tactics. He tried to engage verbally, but Johnson, who was unarmed, soon became aggressive.

"The absence of a weapon does not mean that there is an absence of danger by any stretch of the imagination," said Chamberlain.

The officer used a collapsible baton, striking the man twice with no effect. When that failed, a taser was deployed twice -- also with no apparent impact.

"He continued to charge at our officer," said Chamberlain. "He was pulled down and tackled to the ground ... Our officer was fighting for control of his weapon and his equipment."

At one point, the man grabbed the officer's magazine -- the ammunition component of his firearm -- from his duty belt. Chamberlain said the suspect also appeared to be pulling the officer's vest over his head, obscuring his vision.

The manager who initially dialed 911 called again, this time to report, "The cop is in trouble."

Johnson wrestled the officer to the ground. Bodycam footage shows the officer yelling for backup and pleading with the man: "You're not in trouble, man. Just get back."

Chamberlain emphasized that the officer repeatedly tried to defuse the situation even while physically struggling with the suspect.

With the officer backed against a fence, the suspect came toward him again. The officer fired his weapon, striking Johnson. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m., minutes before any backup arrived. According to the chief, the first units on scene were Denver police officers.

When asked why the officer responded alone, Chamberlain cited staffing realities and the city's volume of trespassing calls. Aurora PD handled nearly 7,500 trespass incidents in 2024 and over 2,500 so far this year.

Chamberlain calls this shooting tragic and the result of systemic failures.

"It doesn't matter if it's homelessness. It doesn't matter if it's someone experiencing major mental health crisis, if it's somebody experiencing major substance abuse issue, again, there is no facilities right now that support," said Chamberlain. "Law enforcement becomes that de facto response to everything in society, that society has filled to perform on effectively."

The toxicology and mental health history of Johnson remain unknown, pending further investigation.

The officer involved, a four-year veteran of the department, had not previously fired his weapon in the line of duty, according to APD. He is now on administrative leave as both internal and external investigations proceed.

The 17th Judicial District's Crisis Incident Response Team (CIRT) is conducting the independent investigation.

The suspect's family has viewed the footage, and the full video through Aurora PD's critical incident portal.