Brother says Aurora man was unarmed when shot by police last month

The brother of a 37-year-old man killed by a police officer in Aurora last month said he reviewed video footage of the incident and said his brother was unarmed when he was shot.

The May 23 shooting of Kilyn Lewis remains under investigation. Aurora police have declined to say whether the man was armed when he was shot near his home as the SWAT team attempted to execute a warrant. The department has not yet released body-worn camera footage of the incident publicly and has declined to comment while the investigation is ongoing.

But Kiawa Lewis said the family had seen the video and Kilyn was unarmed and posed no threat to police.

“My brother was never armed. He never fought back. He never threatened to kill or do anything like that. And yes, at the end of the day, he was actually murdered,” Lewis said.

Kiawa Lewis spoke at a wake for Kilyn on Thursday night, where family and friends remembered his love of fishing, rap music and, most of all, his family.

Family members dressed in Lewis’ favorite colors – red, black and white – filled the left side of the chapel at Pipkin Braswell Funeral Home. At the front, Lewis’ body lay in a custom-designed casket that represented his love of family and fishing.

Tony Gorman/CPR News

“Kilyn was always there to support and encourage people and was just there for them in times of need. Even as an elder, sometimes I couldn’t step in and he helped me,” Kiawa said.

After the prayer, music and a video montage of Lewis were played, then family and friends shared their memories of him. His wife, Anndrec Lewis, said she wanted everyone in attendance to never forget his name.

“I just want his name to be known because he deserves it,” she said. “I love Kilyn to death. I will never forget him until the day I die and see him again. That’s all I want, to see him, to see his smile. Even if he talks to me, I don’t care. I just need him.”

According to Aurora police, the shooting occurred before noon on May 23 at the Edenbrook condominiums at 348 S. Ironton St.

SWAT units from the Denver and Aurora police departments attempted to arrest Lewis in connection with an attempted murder case on May 5 in Denver.

Officers spotted Lewis in Aurora driving a red sedan. When he exited the vehicle, officers attempted to arrest him. During the altercation, an Aurora SWAT officer fired his weapon. Lewis was later taken to the hospital and died two days later. The incident remains under investigation and body-worn camera footage has not yet been released.

Kiawa Lewis declined to discuss where his brother was from at the time of the shooting, but he knows he was unarmed.

Michal Dieck was identified as the officer who shot Lewis and has been placed on leave. The 12-year veteran of the Aurora Police Department has been assigned to the SWAT unit for more than eight years.

The shooting is currently being investigated by the Aurora Police Department’s internal affairs division. The 18th Judicial District will be part of a Critical Incident Response Team. The department confirmed Friday that the family had seen the video and said they would release it to the public soon. Otherwise, they will not comment while the incident is under investigation.

This is the second death in the Lewis family in the last two years. Lewis’ twin brother Keyron died in 2022. Their mother, LaRonda Jones, said it was hard to lose both sons.

“I miss them both. And I said it would be great if they were up there just having fun together. ‘Brother, you did it! Brother, I see you! We’re back together. We’re not just brothers. We’re twins,'” Jones said.

The memorial ended with attendees releasing red, black and white balloons. The Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee has organized a vigil and rally for Lewis, beginning at 3 p.m. on June 21 in front of Aurora City Hall.