AURORA, Colo. — The family of a Black man shot and killed by Aurora police in May is calling for a “week of action” as they continue to mourn the loss of 37-year-old Kilyn E. Lewis.
Lewis, who was unarmed, was shot and killed by an Aurora SWAT officer when Lewis pulled an object out of his pocket — later determined to be a cell phone — in front of armed SWAT members during an arrest attempt on May 23, according to bodycam video footage released last month.
Lewis was wanted on attempted murder allegations in connection with a Denver shooting near E. 48th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard on May 5 that wounded a man walking in the area. Lewis was shot as police attempted to serve an arrest warrant for the May 5 incident. He died two days later in the hospital.
On Saturday, Justice for Kilyn Lewis Action Team members announced a four-day call to action, demanding an apology from Aurora City Council to Lewis’s family.
"We want this council, the people who are leaders in our community, to finally bring responsibility and accountability to the table," said Candice Bailey, a Kilyn Lewis Action Team member.
A resolution calling on city leaders to issue an apology and condolences to Lewis’s family is on Monday’s city council meeting agenda. However, the council may vote to take the resolution off the agenda.
"They work for us, and so if and when they make the decision to take this agenda item off, the community will respond appropriately," Bailey said.
The bodycam video shows members from Aurora’s SWAT team surround Lewis with guns drawn and order him to the ground. Lewis instead walks toward the driver’s side of his vehicle as officers continue to yell at him to obey commands.
The video then shows Lewis moving his right hand out of view of the officers momentarily as he grabs an object, later determined to be a cell phone. It’s at this point that Officer Michael Dieck fires a single shot before Lewis is heard repeatedly yelling at police, “I don’t have nothing!” as he falls to the ground.
"When Michael Dieck shot Kilyn Lewis in a posture of surrender, they should have turned to him and said, 'Michael, you have the right to remain silent.' And they should have taken him into custody," said MiDian Holmes, CEO of the Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership.
They said Monday's council meeting is just the start of a week of action for members of the Justice for Kilyn Lewis Action Team.
"That will uplift healing, that will peacefully allow for us to come together and use our voice and to ensure that the city of Aurora understands that we will not go away. We will continue to fight," Holmes said.
On Tuesday, they will host an open mic night from 7 p.m. at Tequila Blues.
Absolute Word Church and Kirk of Bonnie Brae United Church of Christ will host a community worship service on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Thursday, there will be a 7 p.m. rally and march starting at the Aurora Municipal Center.
