AURORA, Colo. — Monday night, Aurora City Council turned down the chance to apologize to the family of Kilyn Lewis.
Lewis was unarmed and holding a cellphone when he was fatally shot by an Aurora police officer on May 23. Aurora Police SWAT and the Denver Police Department's fugitive unit were attempting to take him into custody in connection with an attempted homicide, according to Aurora Police.
In Monday's city council agenda, there included a resolution that would apologize to Lewis' family over his death. Councilmembers voted 8-2 to remove that apology from the agenda.
Moments after the vote came down, protesters took over the meeting with shouts of "Say his name, Kilyn Lewis" filling the city council chambers.
The council and Mayor Mike Coffman quickly left. The two councilmembers, Crystal Murillo and Alison Coombs, who voted for the apology later came back in to listen to the family and protesters.
The group was pushing to have their voices heard about the way Lewis died at the hands of Aurora Police Officer Michael Dieck. The family has previously called on the 18th Judicial District Attorney to prosecute Officer Michael Dieck or hand the case to a grand jury to investigate the shooting.
> Content Warning: This video shows a man being shot and could be difficult for some people to watch.
"We've got to make a difference," said LaRhonda Jones, Lewis' mother. "We've got to bring about change because I refuse to let my son's death be in vain. But officers that had no right to take my son's life, especially his hands was up and in kneeling position. It's not going to happen in my time. How would you feel if your son or daughter was shot down like mine? You would be up here doing the same thing. I would hope that you would. So we're not going to stop."
As Aurora Interim Police Chief Heather Morris watched on with officers, protesters called for her to come forward and hear their concerns. She came down, looked Lewis' family in the eye and listened. She also offered condolences to the family.
While this was happening, council met in a separate room to finish their meeting in a more private setting, away from protesters. Despite the mayor calling for no public comment on the apology during the meeting, he later gave his condolences to Lewis' family during that private meeting without facing them directly.
After the council meeting ended, Coombs, who proposed the apology, said she believes there were two reasons her colleagues voted down the resolution.
"First of all, they would have had to spend their time listening to the community and they didn't want to do that," she said. "And second of all, what I was told by my colleagues, is that having this resolution at all was divisive. That if they voted no that was going to make the community even more upset and that I should have just not brought it to begin with."
Protesters left the building Monday night before 9 p.m. after being directed to leave by both the city and police, but they stressed they intend to be back again before city council to continue their push for justice in Lewis' memory.
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