Kilyn Lewis, a 37-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by an Aurora police officer in May 2024. The events leading to his death began with a shooting in Denver on May 5, where a legally blind 63-year-old man was wounded by stray bullets during a morning walk. Investigators identified a red Chevrolet Monte Carlo allegedly driven by Lewis as being involved in the incident, which led a judge to issue an arrest warrant for him on a charge of attempted first-degree murder.
On May 23, 2024, members of the Aurora Police Department's SWAT team, who were assisting Denver police, located Lewis in an apartment complex parking lot in Aurora. As officers moved in to arrest him, they commanded him to get on the ground. Body camera footage shows that as officers approached with their guns drawn, Lewis initially backed away and reached behind his back. He then raised his hands, holding a dark object. Believing the object was a gun, Officer Michael Dieck fired a single shot, striking Lewis in the abdomen. The object in his hand was later determined to be a cell phone. Lewis reportedly exclaimed, 'I don't have nothing,' after being shot. He was transported to a hospital, where he died two days later. No weapon was found on Lewis or in his vehicle.
Following the shooting, the incident was investigated by multiple bodies. The Arapahoe County District Attorney, John Kellner, announced that no criminal charges would be filed against Officer Dieck, stating that the officer had an objectively reasonable belief that Lewis was armed. A grand jury also declined to hear the case. An internal investigation by the Aurora Police Department concluded that Dieck did not violate any agency policies. Officer Dieck, a 12-year veteran of the force, had been involved in two other shootings and another use-of-force incident that led to charges against a different officer. While he was cleared of wrongdoing in the shooting of Lewis, he was subsequently removed from the SWAT team as part of policy changes following the event.
In response to the official decisions, the family of Kilyn Lewis has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Aurora and Officer Michael Dieck, alleging the use of unreasonable force. The lawsuit contends that Lewis was attempting to comply with conflicting commands and that officers should have known he was unarmed after days of surveillance. The family and their supporters have held protests, calling for justice and accountability for his death.
