Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Aurora Man Sentenced in Connection With Entering Children’s Hospital Carrying Fully Automatic Gun
DENVER — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jeremy Lavon Tate, 29, of Aurora, was sentenced to 33 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to the plea agreement, on Sept. 24, 2022, Tate entered the Children’s Hospital in Adams County armed with a loaded .40-caliber handgun. The handgun had a laser-mounted sight and a convertor switch making the handgun fully automatic. Witnesses reported that Tate was openly carrying the gun in the hall and that Tate broke through a set of employee-only doors. A University of Colorado Medical Campus Police Department sergeant disarmed Tate, and a hospital security officer detained him. Aurora police then arrested Tate inside the hospital.
“The swift, courageous actions of brave law enforcement officers and hospital security staff prevented a possible catastrophe from unfolding inside Children’s Hospital,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “By stopping an armed felon in his tracks, they protected innocent citizens from incredible danger.”
“We are grateful for the swift response, apprehension and disarming of Jeremy Tate by the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Police Department, hospital security staff and Aurora Police Department,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “Machine gun conversion devices convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm, increasing its potential for devastation in our communities and for law enforcement.”
This case was investigated by the ATF and Aurora Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Dunn handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 22-cr-301-WJM