Aurora police searching for men involved in crime spree

Aurora police are looking for a group of men who shot a person in the neck, grazed a 10-year-old with a bullet to the head, robbed a group of teens, carjacked a vehicle and caused a hit-and-run accident Saturday.

The roughly seven-hour crime spree started at 5:27 p.m. Saturday when three teen girls - ages 13 and 14 - told police they were victims of an armed robbery in the 400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Authorities said the three girls were walking with two teen boys they had just met when a green minivan approached them at a high rate of speed.

A man with a handgun and wearing a bandanna over his face got out of the vehicle and demanded their valuables. One of the boys handed over jewelry, and the man ran back to the vehicle, which took off west on Plum Street.

The girls told police the minivan was occupied by at least two other men. One of the teens was treated at the scene for a leg injury after being struck by the minivan.

Police later said the minivan was stolen from the 600 block of Gates Avenue between 9:30 p.m. Friday and 12:10 p.m. Saturday.

A few minutes after the armed robbery, a police officer spotted the minivan at a red light at Illinois Avenue and Randall Road. The minivan driver fled with the officer in pursuit, authorities said, ignoring several traffic control devices. The chase was called off when officers deemed the chase unsafe for other drivers.

A short time later, the minivan boxed Ford Taurus occupied by a 63-year-old man and 61-year-old woman near Route 56 and Interstate 88, authorities said.

Two of the minivan's occupants - who were armed with handguns - ordered the couple out of their car, and the men drove off in the Taurus west on Route 56. The couple, uninjured, told police at least four people were in the minivan.

The Taurus was involved in a hit-and-run crash at Prairie Street and Edgelawn Drive at 5:49 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. A 68-year-old woman told police her vehicle's fender was hit by the speeding Taurus.

Within three minutes of that crash, police received a call saying the Taurus was stopped near Lake Street and Ridgeway Avenue and that its occupants ran from the vehicle. Police said they think at least three people were in the car when it was abandoned. The offenders were not located during a search by Aurora and state police.

About five hours later, police responded to a call for shots fired in the 100 block of North Ohio Street and learned several people were fired at in an outdoor common area.

The offenders, one of whom was armed, approached the group on foot from behind a home in the 900 block of Fulton Street, opened fire, yelled a gang slogan, and ran to what was later learned to be a Jeep Wrangler reported stolen from Aurora.

A bullet grazed a 10-year old boy in the head as he sat at a picnic table, and several rounds entered an apartment building. The boy was treated by paramedics at the scene. Police do not think the family was targeted.

Less than 10 minutes later, men matching the same description and driving the same vehicle were involved in a shooting in the 1300 block of Plum Street, authorities said.

A 52-year-old man had just backed his car out of a friend's driveway in the area when the stolen Jeep approached. A fight broke out among the men before the driver of the Wrangler intentionally crashed it into the victim's car, authorities said.

The 52-year-old man got out of his car and, along with a 49-year-old man, approached the Jeep when a man inside pulled out a handgun and fired several shots, one of which hit the 49-year-old in the neck.

All the men got out of the Jeep, and the gunman fired several more shots, this time at an SUV driving west on Plum Street. The vehicle, which was occupied by five juveniles, was struck twice, though none of the passengers were hit.

The offenders, who ran from the scene, were described as Hispanic men in their 20s. The shooter was dressed in dark clothing.

The man shot in the neck was taken to an Aurora hospital and later airlifted to a suburban hospital, where his condition was stabilized. He is expected to survive.

The Jeep was reported stolen around 10:30 p.m. Saturday from the 600 block of High Street.

Aurora police are asking anyone with information to call them at (630) 256-5500, or to call the Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000.