Aurora Man Detained Amid Charges Of Attempted First-Degree Murder: DuPage County Judge

AURORA, IL — DuPage County Joshua Dieden denied pre-trial release for the Aurora man charged in an early Sunday morning shooting that injured two men near Fox Valley Mall, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office and Aurora Police Department announced Tuesday.

Aaron Conley, of the 2000 block of Tall Oaks Drive in Aurora, turned himself in to Aurora police Monday morning and was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon with prior forcible felony, Patch reported.

The charges stem from a shooting that occurred just after 6 a.m. Sunday in the 500 block of Station Boulevard, where police found two men — one 19 years old, the other 20 — suffering from gunshot wounds. One man was shot in the knee, and the other was shot multiple times in the chest and is in critical condition following surgery, officials said Tuesday afternoon.

The investigation revealed that the two victims, along with Conley's ex-girlfriend, went to the vestibule of a building after she and Conley arranged for him to drop off some miscellaneous items, officials allege. Once the two men exited the building, Conley, 24, stepped out of a silver 2008 Hyundai and began shooting with an AR rifle from about 100 feet away, police previously said.

RELATED: Accused Gunman Turns Himself In After 2 Shot In Aurora: Police

One man fled after he was shot, and the other fell to the ground and rolled onto a grassy area before Conley ran up to him and fired at least one more round, prosecutors said.

Conley then put the rifle in the car and fled on foot, officials said. Authorities obtained a search warrant and discovered the rifle lying on the driver's side floorboard. Police also found multiple spent casings that matched the caliber of the rifle while processing the scene, the release said.

Judge Robert Rohm issued an arrest warrant for Conley's arrest on Sunday.

"Mr. Conley's alleged attempt to take the lives of two innocent men, one whom he allegedly shot at point-blank range, leaving him in critical condition, serves no purpose other than to create fear and destroy lives," DuPage State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "This alleged display of complete and utter disregard for human life will not be tolerated by law enforcement nor the citizenry of DuPage County and will be met with the full force of the law."

In a statement, Aurora Police Chief Matthew Thomas thanked neighboring law enforcement agencies for their assistance and said the department's thoughts are with the victims and their families.

"The swift and thorough actions of our officers during this investigation demonstrate the dedication and commitment of the Aurora Police Department to ensuring the safety of our community," he said. "While we remain focused on bringing justice, our thoughts are with the victims and their families as they navigate this difficult time. I also want to express our gratitude to the many neighboring agencies that assisted for their invaluable support in bringing this suspect into custody as well as State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his team for their efforts and continued support."

Conley's next court date is set for Sept. 8 in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh.

RELATED: Wanted Gunman ID'd, Still On The Loose After Shooting Near Fox Valley Mall: Police