Body Camera Footage Released, Raising Questions
The family of Kilyn Lewis, a Black man fatally shot by a SWAT officer in Aurora, Colorado, is calling for a murder trial following the release of portions of body camera footage from the incident.
Shooting Details and Released Footage
Lewis, 37, was shot on May 23rd in the parking lot of a condominium complex while holding a cellphone. The released video shows officers in unmarked vehicles approaching Lewis and yelling commands to get on the ground. Lewis takes a few steps towards his car, places his right hand behind his back, and then raises both arms in the air, seemingly surrendering.
Interim Police Chief Heather Morris confirmed Lewis held a cellphone in his right hand during the incident. A police-produced video containing excerpts of body camera footage includes Morris pointing out that Lewis also placed his hand in his left pocket before raising his arms.
The footage then shows Lewis bending his knees as if to get on the ground, immediately followed by a single shot fired by an officer. Lewis is heard pleading, “I don’t have nothing. I don’t have nothing. I don’t have nothing.” No other officers discharged their weapons.
Lewis Suspected in Prior Shooting, Warrant Issued
According to Morris and court documents, Lewis had an active arrest warrant stemming from a May 5th shooting in Denver that injured a man.
Family Calls for Justice, Cites History of Police Misconduct
LaRonda Jones, Lewis’ mother, emphasized that the officer should be held accountable just like any other citizen. She urged local and state prosecutors to uphold the law and investigate her son’s death, which she characterized as an “outright murder.”
Ms. Jones further connected this incident to a larger pattern of police brutality against Black people in Aurora. She referenced the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, another Black man who died in police custody after being stopped while walking home. Two paramedics and a police officer were convicted in connection with McClain’s death.
“This isn’t just about one officer or one incident,” Jones stated at a press conference alongside Lewis’ father, wife, brother, and legal counsel. “It’s about a broken system that devalues Black lives.”
Attorney Questions Officer’s Actions
One of the family’s lawyers, Edward Hopkins Jr., suggested Lewis may have been startled by the sudden appearance of officers with rifles pointed at him and yelling commands, comparing the situation to how a gang might confront someone.
