Tactics And Training
Aurora Police Release Body Cam Footage in Fatal Shooting of Rajon Belt-Stubblefield
Videos show fast-moving confrontation ending in officer’s deadly use of force
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✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Aurora, CO
Aurora, Colorado The Aurora Police Department has released multiple video recordings from the Aug. 30 incident that ended with the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Rajon Belt-Stubblefield, drawing intense scrutiny from the public and renewed debate about police tactics and accountability. The released materials include the involved officers body-worn camera, traffic cameras, civilian dashcam footage, and surveillance clips from nearby businesses. Together, they paint a comprehensive yet controversial picture of the sequence of events. The incident began when an officer conducting speed enforcement near East Sixth Avenue observed Belt-Stubblefields vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. According to the narrated police release, the officer activated lights and sirens and attempted to pull the vehicle over. Belt-Stubblefield did not immediately stop, and within roughly 90 seconds his car collided with other vehicles near Billings Street. The crash forced his car into the oncoming traffic lane, where it came to a stop with smoke visible from the hood. Body-camera footage shows the officer exiting his patrol car with his gun drawn and issuing commands for Belt-Stubblefield to remain in the vehicle and show his hands. Despite repeated orders, Belt-Stubblefield exited the car, told the officer dont shoot me, and walked toward a grassy area. Footage from multiple angles shows him throwing a handgun into the grass before the officer attempted to detain him physically. The two briefly struggled as the officer tried to bring him to the ground for handcuffing. Belt-Stubblefield stood back up and began moving toward the officer while repeatedly yelling for his teenage son, who had arrived at the scene in a separate vehicle, to get that interpreted by police as a command to retrieve the discarded firearm. The officer pushed Belt-Stubblefield back, gave multiple warnings, and pointed his weapon. After several tense seconds, the officer fired two rounds into Belt-Stubblefields chest and, moments later, a third round into his head. Belt-Stubblefield collapsed immediately. The videos capture the chaotic aftermath, with the officer radioing shots fired and maintaining coverage on the downed subject. Witnesses can be heard screaming, and Belt-Stubblefields son reacts in shock as additional officers and emergency personnel arrive. A bystander wearing what appeared to be a hospital badge offered a tourniquet to assist, but the first responding officer declined until backup arrived. Within minutes, additional units began life-saving efforts, including chest compressions and medical interventions, but Belt-Stubblefield was pronounced dead. Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain stated that the officer perceived an imminent threat even after Belt-Stubblefield discarded his weapon, citing his repeated instructions to his son and his aggressive stance as factors influencing the decision to fire. The officers name remains undisclosed pending the outcome of the investigation by the 18th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, which is responsible for reviewing deadly force incidents in Arapahoe County. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Belt-Stubblefield family, held a press conference condemning what he described as an unjustified escalation and calling for the officers identity and disciplinary record to be released. Community activists and reform advocates argue that the event highlights systemic issues within the Aurora Police Department, which remains under a consent decree following a 2022 investigation that found a pattern of excessive force and biased policing.