Former U.S. Space Force sergeant found guilty of murdering Colorado teenager

A Colorado jury has found a former U.S. Space Force sergeant guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a teenager and guilty of second-degree attempted murder in the shooting of another teen. 

Then Sgt. Orest Schur killed one teen and wounded another on July 5, 2023, who he believed had been trying to steal a family car.

According to prosecutors, Schur's wife told 911 dispatchers that it was the third time that someone had tried to steal a car from the Schur family home in Aurora. They said two teenagers crashed a stolen car, a Hyundai Elantra, in the 19500 block of East 58th Circle as Schur pursued them and fired on them. 

A representative with Air Force Public Affairs confirmed to CBS Colorado that Schur's end of service was Aug. 8, 2024.

Schur had been working as a signals intelligence analyst for the Space Force at Buckley after transferring from the Army with the rank of sergeant. With the Army, he did two tours of service in Afghanistan and earned 14 service awards said a military spokesperson.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 15. The second-degree murder conviction carries a sentence range of 16-48 years and the second-degree attempted murder conviction carries a sentence range of 10-32 years. The sentences are mandated to be served consecutively, so Schur is facing 26-80 years in prison.