Two Aurora police officers who detained a driver and four children at gunpoint, handcuffing two of the juveniles, after mistakenly identifying a vehicle as stolen will not be charged, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said Friday.

“Despite the disturbing fact that terrified children were ordered out of a vehicle at gunpoint and placed face down on the ground, our conclusion is that there is not evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the APD officers involved unlawfully, intentionally, knowingly, or negligently violated any Colorado criminal law,” Clinton McKinzie, the chief deputy district attorney, wrote.

Aurora police officers Darian Dasko and Madisen Moen learned that a stolen blue Dodge Journey was reported near their location and began searching for it just before 11 a.m. Aug. 2.

Minutes later, officers spotted a vehicle near an ARC Thrift Store at 16801 E. Iliff Ave. that matched the description and license plate given.

Dasko reported to the Aurora Police Communications Center that the officers located the vehicle and would conduct a “high-risk” stop, according to the report.

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Both officers left their marked patrol unit with handguns drawn, pointing at the vehicle and ordering the five occupants to roll down the window and place their hands outside.

Initially, Dasko reported they were holding two people at gunpoint, but quickly realized there were more occupants in the vehicle. 

Officers ordered the front seat passenger, a young Black girl, to exit the vehicle and lay face down on the ground, according to the report. 

During this time, officers commanded the back seat passengers to exit the vehicle and at this point, the driver yelled, “I’ve got a car full of kids! Are you kidding me?”

Dasko explained to the driver that the vehicle was listed as stolen in “the system” when the driver said it was previously stolen but was recovered and returned.

Eventually, four girls as young as 5 years old were laying on the ground, with two in handcuffs and sobbing, according to the report.

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The driver was the last person ordered out of the vehicle and was placed in handcuffs. She was escorted to the patrol unit, where she sat in the back seat.

During this time, Dasko asked police dispatch to confirm the vehicle was stolen, but learned “the stolen hit” was for a Honda motorcycle and the plate was clean in Colorado.

At that moment, officers immediately uncuffed the children and Dasko told the driver he was sorry and “would make it right,” according to the report. 

Paul L. Taylor, who has a Ph.D in criminal justice with a focus on police decision-making and was asked by the District Attorney’s Office to help investigate the incident, found that based on a review of body-camera footage, police training materials and personal training experience that the officers acted in a proper manner.

“It is my opinion that, given the information they were relying on and the training they had received, the officers involved in this incident were reasonable, prudent and safe in their choice and use of tactics, weapons and restraints,” Taylor wrote in his report.

Added McKinzie: “It is our hope, however, that APD will immediately undertake a review of their policies to try and ensure that nothing of this sort ever happens again.