Family pleads for witnesses after Aurora teen killed

Xavier Dominguez, 15, was shot and killed while walking to a friend's house.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The family of 15-year-old Xavier Dominguez is pleading for witnesses to come forward after he was shot and killed on February 27 while walking to a friend's house in Aurora, Colorado. His mother Stephanie Dominguez and community members gathered for a vigil, asking anyone with information to contact the police to help identify the shooter.

Why it matters

Gun violence involving young victims is a major concern in the Aurora community, which has seen an increase in youth-related crimes in recent years. The Dominguez family's plea for help highlights the need for more community engagement and cooperation with law enforcement to address these issues.

The details

According to police, Xavier Dominguez was walking to a friend's house around 10 p.m. on February 27 when he was shot and killed. His family says he was a normal teenager who loved to dance, sing, and play video games. The community gathered for a vigil to remember Xavier and urge witnesses to come forward, with one speaker criticizing the "snitching" culture that prevents people from cooperating with police.

  • Xavier Dominguez was killed on Friday, February 27, 2026.
  • The community vigil was held on Sunday evening following his death.

The players

Xavier Dominguez

A 15-year-old boy who was shot and killed while walking to a friend's house in Aurora, Colorado.

Stephanie Dominguez

Xavier Dominguez's mother, who is pleading for witnesses to come forward to help police identify her son's killer.

Alvertis Simmons

A community member who spoke at the vigil, criticizing the "snitching" culture that prevents people from cooperating with police.

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What they’re saying

“I just need the community's help. Please, for my peace of mind, because I will never be the same without him, especially finding out the way they took him from me. No 15-year-old deserves to get shot in the chest like that.”

— Stephanie Dominguez, Xavier Dominguez's mother

“If the Aurora police had shot him, if they had shot him dead, you would all be lined up all the way down there to set a stop sign all the way down there, saying, get rid of the cops. But at the end of the day, the cops didn't shoot him. There was somebody in the community that did, and we got to have some justice.”

— Alvertis Simmons, Community member

What’s next

The Aurora Police Department is urging anyone with information about this case to come forward and contact them.

The takeaway

This tragic incident highlights the ongoing challenge of gun violence involving young victims in the Aurora community, and the need for greater community cooperation and engagement with law enforcement to address these issues and seek justice for families like the Dominguezes.