A young man, 18, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his involvement in two shootings that resulted in the deaths of an Iraqi refugee and an Aurora teenager in 2023.
Dhaevontae Rogers-Broadus admitted to second-degree murder in the killings of Ahmed Zainuldeen and Raphael Velin, who were both shot in separate incidents on Sept. 19 and Sept. 30, 2023, according to the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office.
Zainuldeen, 23, was fatally shot in a parking lot of an apartment complex on East Harvard Avenue while trying to stop Rogers-Broadus and two other teens from stealing his car.
Although Rogers-Broadus’ gun was used in Zainuldeen’s shooting, prosecutors believe he was not the shooter. The group of teens fled with Zainuldeen’s car which he had recently purchased. Zainuldeen’s family had relocated to metro Denver nine months earlier after escaping persecution in Iraq.
Eleven days after Zainuldeen’s death, Rogers-Broadus was allegedly involved in a shooting at Aurora’s Southlands Mall that claimed the life of Velin.
Velin was fatally shot multiple times during an aggravated robbery, and Rogers-Broadus along with four others were apprehended in connection to the incident. Authorities were unable to determine who fired the shots that killed Velin.
Although only 16 at the time of the shootings, Rogers-Broadus was tried as an adult.
“Ultimately, two families are devastated by these tragic acts of violence. I understand that no punishment can undo the damage caused by this defendant,” expressed Senior Deputy District Attorney Cole Plummer in a statement.
As of Wednesday, lawyers representing Rogers-Broadus have not responded to requests for comment.
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