AURORA, Colo. — Former Denver Public Schools Board Member Auon'tai Anderson claims he was attacked by Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman following the Aurora City Council meeting Monday night — a claim Mayor Coffman denies.
The incident was captured on video. In the video, Coffman is seen walking up to Anderson, repeatedly yelling, "Austin Lyle. Austin Lyle. Say his name. Say his name. Austin Lyle, you killed him."
Lyle was a Denver East High School student who shot two deans before taking his own life in May 2023.
Moments later, the video shows a protester stepping between Coffman and Anderson, telling Coffman to "get out of [Anderson's] face." Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky is seen redirecting the mayor away from Anderson and other protestors.
- Watch the video in the player below
“I’m disheartened that the mayor would call me a murderer of an innocent African American male who died by an alleged gunshot wound to himself after shooting two innocent educators at Denver East High School,” Anderson said. "And so, this situation was very scary, mainly because I could have been in a different situation today if I would have responded differently. I should say, I could be in a very different situation if I would have given the mayor what he was trying to entice. But something told me just to remain calm and just to keep singing that song.”
During the incident, protesters could be heard singing "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around," a 1960s Civil Rights Era protest song.
The incident comes after months of protests by Anderson and other activists at Aurora City Council meetings over the police killing of 37-year-old Kilyn Lewis.
“He put me in danger, and he called me a murderer. And that's something that is just simply not true, and it's not going to turn me around. I look forward to seeing the mayor in two weeks at the next city council meeting," Anderson said. "I expect and demand that he will apologize for his actions, as they were unbecoming of a public official, and I hope that the Aurora City Council will censure him and say that's not who we are as the city government."
In response to a request for comment, a spokesperson for Coffman told Denver7 that the mayor thinks Anderson is attempting to make a mountain out of a molehill.
The spokesperson said, “As the mayor, he does not forfeit his ability to express his opinion just because he is an elected leader. Consistent with what is seen on Mr. Anderson’s curated video, the mayor said he was expressing an opinion about Mr. Anderson’s past actions on the Denver school board. Mayor Coffman also said he is not going to spend any more time on this manufactured nonissue.”
According to the spokesperson, Council Member Jurinsky, who witnessed the incident, did not think Mayor Coffman attacked anyone.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.