Santiago Calderon, 36, Aurora

A 36 year-old Aurora man was shot and killed by Aurora police Thursday evening (March 22) after he allegedly opened fire on two officers during an attempted traffic stop.

Aurora police identified the man as Santiago Calderon, 36, of the 700 block of E. Galena Boulevard. Calderon was out on bond at the time of the shooting following a March 18 arrest for possession of a firearm, and was known to police, Aurora Police Chief Kristin Ziman said.

The incident began around 9:45 p.m. on March 22 when two  investigators from the department’s Special Operations Group were on patrol and followed a green Chevrolet SUV they saw leaving a known gang house in the 200 block of South Lake Street, according to Ziman.

She said she is unaware at this time why investigators attempted to pull the vehicle over, but that they initiated a traffic stop in the first block of East Galena Boulevard.

At that time, Calderon, the vehicle’s driver, allegedly fired shots at the two investigators. He took off eastbound in his vehicle toward Galena Boulevard and Route 25 where he struck a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old Aurora man.

Calderon then ran from his vehicle and exchanged gunfire with the investigators.

“During the exchange of gunfire, Calderon was fatally shot in a parking lot on LaSalle Street between Galena and Downer Place,” Ziman said. When officers went to render aid to Calderon, a handgun was allegedly found by his side.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 24-year-old Aurora man, who was a passenger in Calderon’s vehicle, did not flee during the incident and was taken into custody by police. He was not charged and was released from custody Friday morning.

“I want to express my sympathy to the family of Mr. Calderon,” Ziman said at a Friday morning press conference. “Despite his actions that resulted in this outcome, we know he is a father and a son, and that is not lost on us.”

Ziman said her officers responded courageously to a dangerous situation and that she is “grateful they were able to return home to their families.”

The officers involved, both 10-year veterans, were identified as Matt Huber and Colin Griffin.

Griffin was grazed in the leg by a bullet during the incident and was taken to an Aurora hospital for treatment. Huber injured his shoulder while taking cover from bullets and was also taken for treatment.

Both men have been released from the hospital and are on paid administrative leave as is standard procedure in police shootings.

The Kane County Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the fatal shooting.

Ziman said the officers involved were traveling in an unmarked police vehicle, but one that was equipped with red and blue lights. They were both in tactical uniforms and clearly identifiable as officers when the shooting occurred. The vehicle, however, did not have an in-squad camera that captured the incident.

Surveillance footage from downtown businesses is being sought and investigated, and several witnesses have come forward to report what they saw and heard, Ziman said.

“We’re gathering the puzzle pieces and very soon we’ll have a very clear picture of what happened,” she said.

— Aurora police in fatal shoot out with known suspect —–