Following an investigation, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office has cleared Aurora authorities in the police shooting of a 19-year-old local man last year and also in officers’ actions during a student walkout in February.

The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office announced its determination that officers had a “reasonable belief” that their use of force was “necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to themselves and others.”

[ Aurora police cleared in actions during student protest ]

The March 19, 2025, death of Cristopher Lepe, occurred after a car chase, followed by Lepe opening his driver-side door brandishing a BB air gun that officers said appeared to be an AR-15-style rifle, according to authorities. Lepe had an incident with a Geneva police officer earlier that night in connection to reports in Geneva, St. Charles, Aurora and North Aurora of windows being shot by a BB gun.

Two Aurora officers fired several rounds from their weapons, striking Lepe multiple times.

Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said her office examined all available body-worn camera footage, squad vehicle camera footage and other evidence. The investigation was led by the Fox Valley Major Crimes Task Force.

“It is clear to me that the officers here had reasonable belief that their use of force was necessary to protect themselves and others from great harm,” Mosser said in a news release. “The officers had no way of knowing the realistic-looking rifle Lepe armed himself with and pointed at them was not real.”

The incident began around 1:30 a.m. when a Geneva police officer located a suspicious vehicle on the 1500 block of South Randall Road that the officer believed was in connection with the reports of windows being shot by a BB gun.

Officials said that inside the vehicle, the officer found Lepe with an open bottle of alcohol and exhibiting slurred speech. When the officer ordered Lepe to exit the vehicle, Lepe moved to drive away, and when the officer grasped the steering wheel, Lepe took off, flinging the officer from the vehicle, authorities said. The officer suffered a complete fracture to his kneecap, according to the release.

The Geneva Police Department reported the vehicle information to Tri-Com, Kane-Com, and the Aurora Police Department Dispatch.

A vehicle pursuit transpired after Lepe refused to pull over for Aurora police and Kane County Sheriff’s Office vehicles, authorities said; they stopped Lepe’s vehicle using spike strips at the intersection of Broadway and Hazel Avenue in Aurora.

Two Aurora police and two sheriff’s vehicles surrounded the car. Authorities exited their vehicles and told Lepe to put his hands up and get on the ground, according to the release.

“Lepe emerged from his car brandishing what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle in his right hand,” the State’s Attorney’s Office said in the release. “The rifle was later discovered to be an air gun. Lepe pointed the rifle up, then down, then directly at an Aurora police officer.”

It was then two Aurora police officers fired several rounds into Lepe’s body. The Kane County Sheriff’s deputies did not fire their weapons.

After Lepe was struck by the gunfire several times, a “K-9 was released to pull Lepe out of the car.”

Officers provided on-scene medical aid “as soon as they determined Lepe was no longer a danger.” Lepe was taken to Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora, where he was pronounced dead.

An examination by the Kane County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death was from multiple gunshot wounds. A toxicology report showed that Lepe had a blood-alcohol concentrate of .125 and cannabis in his system, officials said, above the .08 legal limit for driving.

The State’s Attorney’s Office said “there is no evidence or indication that any police officer committed any unlawful acts,” and the investigation is now closed.