Residents of Aurora, Colorado, expressed frustration after the local police department allegedly ignored multiple 911 calls reporting extensive vandalism over several days, only to respond swiftly when the suspect collapsed and required medical attention.
Worku Woldemariam, 42, is accused of a spree of destructive acts beginning July 27, which included vandalizing a sheriff's office substation, a local market, a Starbucks, and an ice cream shop. On August 8, Woldemariam allegedly targeted an urban garden, smashing beehives and uprooting crops with rocks. Locals reported seeing him destroy the garden for hours, with police not being dispatched until nearly 4 p.m. despite initial calls around 1 p.m., according to reports.
“He was out here with the rock, just breaking the cinder blocks like that for hours,” volunteer Matthew King told Denver7 News. Residents stated that police and fire trucks arrived only after Woldemariam passed out in the garden.
Aurora Mayor Pro Tem Alison Coombs voiced concern over the lengthy response time. "I'm very concerned that active, in-progress threats and property destruction are considered low-acuity calls that don't merit an immediate response," Coombs said.
Prior to the garden incident, Woldemariam had been arrested five days earlier on criminal mischief allegations in Douglas County. His alleged vandalism began on July 27 with the destruction of American and Colorado flags outside the Douglas County Sheriff's Office substation. The following day, he was accused of entering Harar Market in Aurora and smashing artwork with a rock.
Harar Market owner Wend Wesen reported feeling unsafe after the incident, stating that police did not arrive until the next day when Woldemariam allegedly returned to the store. The suspect was issued a summons for criminal mischief in that instance but not arrested.
On August 3, Woldemariam allegedly threw a rock through the window of a Starbucks. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but he was taken into custody by Douglas County authorities for the flag incident and later released on bond. Two days after his release, he allegedly damaged the windows of Nugg's Ice Cream.
Woldemariam, who has a lengthy criminal record including being found incompetent to stand trial in 2013 and not guilty by reason of insanity in a 2014 assault case, currently faces three criminal mischief cases in Colorado. He remains in custody.
The recent events have drawn comparisons to the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died after an encounter with Aurora police officers. An internal investigation found that officers lacked reasonable grounds to stop McClain. One officer was convicted of homicide and assault, while two others were acquitted. Two paramedics involved were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide.
