AURORA | A man shot and killed late Christmas Day at a home in east Aurora has been identified as a former hip hop emcee and gang member.
The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office has positively identified the victim of the Dec. 25 shooting at 20157 E. Dartmouth Drive in Aurora as Cyril Kim, 35, who had been known in the local hip hop scene as Rook or “Rookadamus.”
Sgt. Chris Amsler, an Aurora police spokesman, said officers were called about 9:45 p.m. Dec. 25 to a reported shooting at the home. Kim, who is one of the registered owners of the home, was found at the scene with a gunshot wound to his chest.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.
The shooting suspect, Phi Pham, fled the scene and was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Kim was arrested in 2008 and later sentenced in 2010 to 51 months in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance charge stemming from a bust of the Denver-metro Asian Pride gang.
Aurora police spokeswoman Officer Diana Cooley, when asked if investigators believe there was any gang motivation for the shooting, said the investigation was ongoing and did not comment on the matter.
Maybe you should take some time and care in a story when it involves a senseless act of voilence. This was a personwho did not have a choice to leave behind children and family. Instead of digging up a story from 8 years ago and reporting that, perhaps you should act like a journalist and do some actual journalism. You may find out some truth and get past your judgment and defamation. You should be ashamed of yourself. Have you tried to reach his fiancee or family? Have you tried to see the eyes of the children torn by this? Have you seen the public response from fans of his art? Are you capable of any decency?
There was no “gang” motivation to this tragedy, but I guess if you are a lazy reporter this is the type of character (or lack there of) you express in your column.
Amen
Glenview, took the words right out of my mouth.
It looks like no one wants to take credit for authoring this piece of amateur journalism.
I agree! What does his past have to do with his death!
4 comments complaining of the reporting???? What did any of you add to the facts of police reports, prison record, or why? Does someone know something that we in Colorado should know? Before the arrested individual comes to trial, and the lawyers put out case to court? What else is there to say? and who will say it? This is one time I will side with Sentinel. Think this meets Joe Friday, of “just the facts, and only the facts”.
Well if you die by the barrel of the ? would you want to be portrayed by all if your sins.
What choice do you have, or anyone else? If you are dead, you no longer have any rights to privacy. And in this PC world, all that is needed is have your name in the paper, and media will go where police cannot without a warrant. So make up your mind. Do you want another administration with blonde haired talking heads, with black roots, using teleprompters to read all of your sins, from time, you abused your mother, when she breast fed you, if you were lucky enough to be raised by your mother-father in a marriage. That is going the way of the doo doo bird, or unicorn (if any ever existed).
I am shocked by the lack of quality of journalism that the Aurora Sentinel displays. This was not a gang related murder but an unfortunate act of violence. The way this story has been written is essentially a tabloid piece that creates gang drama where this is none. You’re following the Sean Hannity formula — state a bunch of “facts” that aren’t logically connected to the picture you’re painting, and then cover your butt by saying you’re “just asking questions” that can’t actually be confirmed. I see you ended the story by saying the APD spokeswoman could not confirm your thirst for this to be gang related. Then why spend the entire body of the story talking about it? Where did you even go to school? Did you go to school???? What is your motivation? Sensationalism? Racism? But hey, I’m just asking questions…
Whoever wrote this article is a piece if turd! Way to blame the victim… Pathetic!