AURORA | City lawmakers approved an amended resolution offering condolences to families and the community for officer-involved shootings, while acknowledging the council’s legal obligations and impacts to police.
The resolution, sponsored by Councilmember Rob Andrews, comes after years of contentious meetings and sustained pressure from activists and families demanding accountability in officer-involved shooting cases involving the Aurora Police Department.
Council voted 7-3 to pass the resolution, with council members Françoise Bergan, Stephanie Hancock and Angela Lawson opposing.
It establishes a consistent public stance on behalf of city council, acknowledging the tragedy of officer-involved shootings and expressing sympathy for those affected, while detailing that ongoing litigation prevents any other public comment.
During Monday’s council meeting, Andrews and Councilmember Alli Jackson presented an amended version of the resolution that included language about the community’s concerns with police use of force and racial and ethnic disparities in policing.
Another change added that officer-involved shootings are a tragedy for the community, “including the lives of officers, their families, friends, and supporters.”
“City Council stands in mourning with all who are adversely affected by these tragic events,” the resolution states.
Several council members thanked Andrews for collaborating with both sides of the issue to craft the resolution. Councilmember Curtis Gardner said he supported the resolution because it offered humanity while pointing out the council’s legal and financial responsibilities.
“I think it’s disappointing that some have framed supporting this as anti-police, I don’t think it’s anti-police, I think it’s an acknowledgement that there is hurt and pain in our community,” Gardner said. “While the city council didn’t pull the trigger, as one commenter put it earlier, we certainly can feel sympathy for those families. I think that’s a responsible thing to do.”
Public commenters were largely supportive of the amendment, who called it a sign of progress in how city officials handle the issue, though they continued to push for substantive changes, such as independent police oversight.
“While this resolution is an opportunity for you all to engage in thoughtful language, that the community can review, can hear and can bear witness to, we know that this resolution is not structural change,” MiDian Shofner said.
Auon’tai Anderson, center, among others critical of the city’s handling of officer involved shootings, in particular the 2024 shooting of Kilyn Lewis, addresses city council from the lectern in council chambers May 4, 2026.
The resolution got some push back from conservative council members, including Bergan, who was incensed that Andrews and Jackson suggested an amended resolution at the meeting. She said Andrews had told her that there wouldn’t be more changes following the ones discussed at an April 20 study session.
Andrews did not address Bergan’s complaint.
The condolence measure comes as the city marks four years under a consent decree imposed on the city and police. The decree followed investigations by the state attorney general into repeated incidents of excessive use of force and discrimination by Aurora police, particularly against people of color, including the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, who died at the hands of police and first responders after being stopped, even though he was unarmed.
At the April 20 meeting, conservative council members pushed back on the resolution for not making a distinction between shootings that have been deemed “legally justified” or not, a determination made by local district attorneys after investigation. Some city lawmakers were at the time critical of the bill for not including the impact officer-involved shootings have on police.
Bergan pointed to the officer-involved shooting in April, where Amare Garlington, a 23-year-old Black man experiencing a mental health crisis, attacked an officer with a knife, stabbing him in the head. The officer shot and killed Garlington during the attack.
“We should show sympathy and empathy for that officer and his family as well,” Bergan said.
City lawmakers have faced repeated criticism during public meetings, often interrupted by protesters calling for discipline of officers, policy changes and broader reforms. The tension has been fueled in part by high-profile cases, including the 2024 fatal shooting of Kilyn Lewis and others, after the 2019 death of Elijah McClain.
The resolution states that while individual council members may hold personal opinions, the body as a whole “must refrain from commenting publicly on any matters with pending claims or litigation” to protect the city’s legal interests.
It also states that Colorado law essentially requires the city to defend officers and cover financial judgments in such cases.
Council is about to find out that bowing to the pressure of the unreasonable will lead to more demands. The time and effort spent on this virtue signalling will not end the matter, it will only increase demands for more. Council’s statement should ahve beeen: “We are sorry that the family and friends of the wanted individual who was wanted for allegedly committing ____________ (fill in the felony) did not intervene in the deceased life in a timely and meaningful way to prevent the deceased from going down the road which lead, inevitably, to their death. We appreciate that the deceased relatives, in an attempt to assuage their own guilt and complicity in the matter, and in a desire to cash in on the death want to reach a settlement to which they are not entitled by having Council make some admission of liability, but Council will not do so. Have a nice night and disperse in an orderly fashion.”