ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — Three teenagers were arrested in connection with the shooting death of an Iraqi refugee during a carjacking in unincorporated Arapahoe County last year.
Dhaevontae Rogers-Broadus, 17, Raydon Collins, 18, and a third unnamed juvenile were arrested after a warrant was issued for their arrests on March 26, the 18th Judicial District confirmed to Denver7 Wednesday. Details as to when and where the three suspects were taken into custody were not available.
The three are each being charged with first-degree murder for the death of 23-year-old Ahmed Zainuldeen, who was shot and killed during a carjacking on Sept. 19, 2023. Both Rogers-Broadus and Collins are being charged as adults.
Zainuldeen was getting ready for bed inside his apartment in the 7400 block of E. Harvard Avenue when he looked out the window and noticed a group breaking into his car. He went outside to confront the suspects and was shot. The suspects got away with Zainuldeen's silver 2012 Hyundai Sonata, which was later recovered in Aurora.
During an interview with Denver7 last October, Zainuldeen's parents said the family of four moved to Denver the beginning of 2023 after fleeing to Egypt from their home country of Iraq. The family, who was chasing the American dream, never thought something like this would happen.
"I never thought for one second coming to the USA my son would be killed,” said his father, Maath AbdulHameed, through a translator.
"When we got the opportunity to come here, we felt we finally, you know, made it in terms of being safe and secure, and our sons would be able to thrive in an environment and fulfill their dreams,” said his mother, Bushra Hadi Abdullah, through a translator.
Each suspect was given a $1 million bond. All three remain in custody as of Wednesday.
