On October 18, 2021, 18-year-old Jayden Lee Phillips was shot multiple times in a parking lot at the Sable Cove Townhomes in Aurora, Colorado. Emergency responders took him to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal; the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office ruled his death a homicide. The shooting followed an argument with another man.

Jayden had recently earned his GED, been accepted into a culinary program, obtained his driver’s license, and was working on his own music as a songwriter. Friends and a mentor described him as loyal, engaging, and determined to make his mother proud, making the loss especially painful for his family.

Aurora police investigated and identified and spoke with a person of interest, but no immediate arrests were announced. If anyone has information about what happened that day or knew Jayden, please come forward and share what you know.