ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — A man who spent years of his life working to combat gun violence in Colorado shot a 28-year-old man in the head Saturday, according to Commerce City Police, as attendees of a child’s birthday party watched in horror.
The fatal shooting came nearly a year after the death of the suspected shooter’s son.
Lumumba Sayers, 46, remains in the Adams County Detention Facility facing first-degree murder and felony menacing charges stemming from the Saturday shooting at Commerce City’s Pioneer Park at Holly Street and East 60th Avenue. Sayers was an MMA fighter and founded Aurora’s Heavy Hands Heavy Hearts Foundation.
Sayers’ son, Lumumba Sayers Jr., was shot and killed August 19, 2023, at 28th and Welton streets in Denver.
Saturday’s shooting happened during a pool party for a child, according to an arrest affidavit. The affidavit says witnesses saw Sayers Sr. “walk up and shoot the victim in the head at close range.”
The affidavit goes on to suggest “a possible motive.”
“Witnesses had stated the [shooter’s son] had been murdered about a year ago by a friend of the deceased […] and this murder was probably in retaliation or revenge,” the document says.
Court documents identify the man who was killed as Malcolm Watson, 28.
9NEWS spoke to Watson's sister over the phone on Monday. She said the birthday party was for Watson's 5-year-old son. According to the sister, her brother is innocent and wasn't involved in the death of Sayers Sr.'s son.
"How is it a revenge killing if my brother isn't the one who had anything to do with it?" Watson's sister said.
His sister described Watson as someone who wanted to be a great father and be around his family and make sure his sisters were all fine. She called him a loving little brother.
In 2021, 9NEWS profiled Sayers Sr. and the Aurora gym he said he created to make a safe space for kids. He then told reporter Kelly Reinke, "we have just got to get these kids who are out here making bad decisions to make better decisions and do different stuff with their life."
"If you get those two parties together and they are able to talk about the situation, then we are able to stop a lot of the violence," he added.
Watson's sister said the shooting on Saturday came as a shock to the whole family.
"How are you an activist, murdering innocent people," she said.
Sayers Sr. has a court appearance on Aug. 15.