ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — An Aurora man was sentenced to prison on Friday, about two years after he shot two teens — killing one — who had allegedly been trying to break into his car.
A jury convicted Orest Schur, 29, of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder on June 16 and on Friday afternoon, a judge sentenced him to 54 years in prison.
The shooting happened on July 5, 2023 around 11:20 p.m. along the 19400 block of E. 59th Place, east of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. That evening, residents reported hearing a car alarm and saw two people dressed in black attire trying to break into a Hyundai Elantra belonging to Schur, the Aurora Police Department said. Schur, who was a technical sergeant with the U.S. Space Force in Aurora at the time, also heard the alarm and armed himself with a pistol before going outside.
He got into his car and followed two teenagers, who had fled in another car, believing they were the suspects.
The teens crashed around E. 58th Circle and E. 58th Avenue, about 0.3 miles from the initial incident. The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said both teenagers tried to run from the crashed car.
The district attorney's office said Schur then fired several shots at the teenagers. He struck both of them.
One victim, 14-year-old Xavier Kirk, was found by authorities unconscious with gunshot wounds to his back and head. He was transported to a hospital, where he died.
The second victim, a 13-year-old boy who had been driving the car, ran to a relative's home, which was close by, and was brought to a hospital. He survived his wounds.
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Schur was arrested the following day on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. In February 2024, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
His trial began on June 9, 2025 and lasted several days. Prosecutors argued that he pursued the teenagers instead of calling police.
"Schur claimed he fired in self-defense after being shot at, but an extensive investigation found no evidence that anyone other than the defendant possessed or fired a weapon," the district attorney's office said. "Forensic testing determined Schur fired a total of eleven shots during the incident."
On June 16, a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.
On Friday afternoon, Judge Caryn Datz sentenced Schur to 36 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge and 18 years in prison for the attempted second-degree murder charge.
Ahead of the judge's sentencing and after victim impact statements from Kirk's loved ones and Schur's family, Schur addressed the court for the first time.
He said he wanted his first words to be, "I'm sorry" for what happened that evening, and the pain, grief and trauma that followed. He called that evening in July 2023 "confusing, frightening and overwhelming."
Schur requested that the judge take into consideration his lack of any criminal record and his decorated years of service in the military.
Judge Datz acknowledged the difficulties that Kirk's family faced during the trial as they grieved his loss in a courtroom. There is an "ocean of grief that you carry in your hearts, that your letters and your statements today only skim the surface of," she said.
She told Schur's loved ones that his sentence "will have deeply profound consequences for all of you as well." She noted that he expressed deep regret for his actions, but called the offenses "grave."
Schur allowed his frustrations with ongoing property crimes in the neighborhood to lead to his decision to get a loaded handgun and chase two teenagers in his car, she said, opening fire on both of them and killing one.
She said during the trial that no evidence was presented to prove Schur's life was ever in danger. The jury rejected his claims of self-defense.
Kirk was remembered by his family as a thoughtful, perceptive, smart, gentle and kind soul, the judge said. And the 13-year-old survivor, who still carries the bullet in his body, will have to continue his life without his friend, she said.
She then sentenced Schur to 54 years in prison.
This story will be updated with victim impact statements shortly.
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