Elijah McClain Killed by Aurora Colorado Officers; Officers Initially Not Charged

Elijah McClain, 23, a massage therapist and amateur violinist who was neurodivergent, was stopped by Aurora, CO police on August 24, 2019, while walking home wearing headphones. Officers put him in a caretaker hold and called paramedics, who injected him with ketamine — a large dose based on an inaccurate weight estimate. McClain went into cardiac arrest and died August 30. Initial investigation cleared officers. Following the 2020 protests, Colorado Governor Polis ordered a new investigation. In 2021, two officers and two paramedics were charged with manslaughter and assault. One officer was convicted of criminally negligent homicide in 2023. Aurora settled for $15 million.