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A 12-year-old boy in Denver was found in an alleged stolen vehicle and fatally shot by its owner, who used an app to track down the car.
Elias Armstrong has been identified by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner as the 12-year-old boy who was shot and killed by the owner of the alleged stolen vehicle, per NBC News.
The owner told Denver police that he used an app to track the whereabouts of his vehicle after reporting to authorities that it was stolen. Once he approached the vehicle, the man "was involved in an exchange of gunfire with occupant(s) in the stolen vehicle," police said.
According to reports, it's unclear how many people were in the vehicle or who opened fire first.
Armstrong drove away from the car's owner before being found by police with a gunshot wound. The boy was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy confirmed that Armstrong died of a gunshot wound and ruled his manner of death as a homicide.
According to police, other occupants of the alleged stolen vehicle fled before officers arrived and haven't been found. The car's owner "has not been arrested at this time while the incident remains under investigation," police added.
Jamie Torres, a Denver city councilwoman, said she was "heartbroken" by the news of Armstrong's death.
"I know auto theft is a growing issue, not just in Denver but everywhere, and it's infuriating to be victimized like that," Torres told KUSA. "But I discourage any resident to taking a vigilante approach."
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