Brett Rosenau death: Officials confirm New Mexico teenager died due to smoke inhalation during SWAT raid

15-year-old Brett Rosenau died in a SWAT raid, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. They confirmed in an official statement that the boy had passed away due to smoke inhalation on Thursday, July 7.

He was not the intended target of the police standoff, however. On July 6, police followed 27-year-old Qiaunt Kelley to a home in southeast Albuquerque, where he had barricaded himself in. According to information released by police, Brett Rosenau entered the same home sometime later. Despite several warnings, neither of the two came out of the house.

Albuquerque police further stated that the SWAT team used a drone to drop powder irritants inside the house in an effort to bring Rosenau and Kelley outside. It was only hours later that officials noticed smoke coming from where the fugitive had barricaded himself. While Kelley was rescued and taken to the hospital for his injuries, the fire department found Rosenau dead inside the house.

A preliminary autopsy report stated that Brett Rosenau died of smoke inhalation caused by the fire.

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Protests underway as Brett Rosenau becomes the latest victim of police misconduct

Residents of Albuquerque were shocked at the actions of the police, which cost the teenager his life last week. The Albuquerque Police Department who were searching for Qiaunt Kelley, a criminal charged with violation of probation on charges of armed carjacking, vehicle theft, and two previous shootings, engaged in a standoff which lasted for several hours. At the end of it, Rosenau died due to a house fire.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by Albuquerque Fire Rescue. Chief Medina admitted that the devices used to drop the irritants inside the home could have caused the fatal fire. A press release by the police, however, stated:

"APD uses devices that are designed for indoor use to minimize the likelihood of igniting a fire, and no fires have been reported over the many years they have been used in Albuquerque."

Mayor Tim Keller condemned the tragic death of the young boy in a statement. He said:

"No matter what the circumstances were, a boy’s life was tragically cut short, something no person or parent should experience."

The Albuquerque Journal reported that numerous protests took place following the incident, led by agitated residents of the area in support of the boy who passed away in a SWAT raid. Rosenau's aunt revealed in an interview that Brett's father had also been killed by a member of one of the "law-enforcement agencies involved in the incident."

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Brett Rosenau's mother to help with her son's funeral expenses.