Colorado Cop Shoots Unarmed Black Man Holding Cellphone; Family Sues

Shooting of Kilyn Lewis

• 🎯 Kilyn Lewis, a 37-year-old unarmed Black man, was fatally shot by Colorado cop Michael Dieck while holding his cellphone.
• ⚠️ Despite body camera footage showing Lewis with his hands up and holding a phone, it took nearly a month for police to acknowledge he was unarmed.
• 🏛️ The 18th Judicial District Attorney's office determined there was no criminal liability for Officer Dieck, and a grand jury declined to investigate further.

Lawsuit and Allegations

• ⚖️ Lewis's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Aurora Police Department, alleging excessive force and negligence.
• 📌 The lawsuit claims it should have been obvious to officers that Lewis was holding only a cell phone, which was easily visible.

Context of the Incident

• 🚨 The shooting occurred on May 23rd, 2024, as a SWAT team was attempting to arrest Lewis on a warrant for attempted murder from an earlier shooting on May 5th.
• 🚗 In the earlier incident, surveillance video showed a passenger in a red Monte Carlo shooting at individuals in a black SUV, and a bystander was injured.
• 🚗 Police claimed a tipster identified Lewis as the driver of the Monte Carlo, and state records showed he owned a similar vehicle, but the license plate was not visible in the video.

History of Aurora Police Department

• 🚩 The Aurora Police Department has a history of profiling and abusing Black people, including a 2021 lawsuit over wrongly detaining a Black family at gunpoint.
• 💔 The discussion draws parallels to the case of Elijah McClain, a young Black man who died in police custody in 2019, resulting in a $15 million settlement.

Discussion on Systemic Issues

• 🗣️ The conversation highlights the argument that those who deny systemic racism in law enforcement often disregard such incidents or offer justifications like "he deserved it."
• 📈 It is argued that crime is more statistically linked to poverty and lack of opportunity than race.
• 💰 The point is made that in affluent Black communities with high median incomes, the black-on-black crime rate is virtually zero, suggesting socioeconomic factors are key.