Dozens of friends, family members, and activists gathered outside the Aurora Municipal Center on Monday evening to protest Arapahoe County District Attorney John Kellner’s decision not to charge Aurora Police Department officer Michael Dieck in the fatal shooting of Kilyn Lewis.
LaRonda Jones, Lewis’ mother, expressed her disappointment in learning about Kellner’s decision through the media on Friday. She emphasized that this outcome is not the end and vowed to continue fighting for justice for her son.
Aurora and Denver police had been monitoring Lewis for two days before attempting to arrest him for attempted murder on May 23. Kellner’s decision letter cited Lewis reaching into his back pocket during the encounter as a reason Dieck felt threatened and justified in shooting him.
Despite later findings that Lewis was only holding a phone and snack tubes, Kellner’s decision not to press charges did not come as a surprise to organizer Auon’tai Anderson.
During the rally, Jones defended her son’s character, stating that he was a good man despite any past mistakes. Lewis’ father, Robert Lewis, described him as loving and kind, emphasizing that his son did not deserve to die in such a manner.
The shooting was condemned as “state-sanctioned violence” by Denver Justice Project Executive Director Alexander Landau, who called out Kellner for perpetuating such behavior within the Aurora Police Department.
In closing, Jones urged the community to stand with Lewis’ family and advocates in demanding change and justice for all victims of police violence.
