AURORA | Police and county officials have identified a man shot and killed by an Aurora police officer May 23 during a SWAT unit call and attempted arrest, and they’ve identified the officer involved in the shooting.
Coroner officials said the man was Kilyn Lewis, 37, of Denver. Officials said he died May 25 from injuries sustained from a shooting, two days after his attempted arrest in Aurora.
Friends and family of Lewis posted laments on social media, and a GoFundMe account has been started in his name.
The shooting occurred just before noon at Edenbrook condominiums at 384 S. Ironton Street in west-central Aurora.
Police said Denver and Aurora police SWAT units went to the complex earlier in the morning and set up to arrest Lewis in connection with a May 5 Denver attempted-homicide case.
Aurora police spokesperson Matthew Longshore said Aurora police were assisting in a Denver case to make the arrest.
“The SWAT Team was called to assist when the suspect was located driving a red sedan in Aurora,” Longshore said. “The suspect arrived at the apartment complex just before noon.”
Aurora SWAT officers approached Lewis as he exited his car and attempted to arrest him.
“During the interaction, an Aurora SWAT officer fired his weapon, striking the suspect,” Longshore said.
Officers provided medical treatment until rescuers arrived. Lewis was taken to a nearby hospital and died from his injuries two days later.
Police identified the officer who shot Lewis as Officer Michael Dieck, a 12-year veteran of the police department. Longshore said Dieck has been assigned to the SWAT unit for over eight years.
Dieck was placed on administrative leave, which is standard police department policy.
Police have begun a shooting investigation, as well as an internal affairs investigation. The 18th Judicial District will be part of a Critical Incident Response Team, providing an independent investigation into the shooting.
Police on Thursday released a produced video addressing a May 5 Aurora officer-involved shooting. In the video, interim Police Chief Heather Morris offers some detail about the shooting, but states that the video was a new protocol for APD, and an effort to provide “transparency and accountability.”
It’s unclear whether police will released a similar video focusing on the May 23 officer-involved shooting.
got and wait to see what the investigation shows.
I was curious as to why the officer shot from so far away?
I didn’t hear any other shots (like from the suspect either)
Just questions. Obviously we had a pert accused of attempted homicide trying to get into a house…..so let’s see what happens.
They killed him and gonna get away with killing another unarmed black SMH! Justify armed…..Shoot for what? Make it make Sense?! Release the video period!
I’ll donate to put more cops on the street before supporting a wanted homicide suspect.
Funny how a “pillar of the community” is not only wanted in an attempted homicide, but decides to up the ante by more threats while trying to take him into custody.
Sorry, zero benefit of the doubt. Until the entire community can call it like it is, progress and trust will be pipedreams for some.
For the rest of us, we’ll not have to worry about being caught in the next crossfire or worse.
Lemme tell you something dude, don’t judge someone you don’t know. Innocent until proven guilty. Have some goddamn empathy. If you read comments above yours he didn’t do anything. He didn’t fire shots or anything. You didn’t know him personally like most of the community did, or as some people who have already commented again. So be respectful of the dead. Grow up and get a damn life.
So, explain how and why this supposed good citizen was being hunted down by SWAT?
Open up YOUR eyes and admit there are bad apples in every community, including the cops AND yours.
Until you quit seeing knuckleheads as victims, nothing will change.
Watch what you say cause none of that stuff you saying is facts. He lived there dummy and yes ass he was a good person always trying to help friends and family that’s how he ended up in this mess in the first place. So if you personally did not know him keep your mouth completely shut!!!! You have a lot of bad people moving here and living here in Colorado that’s really out here killing people, Robbing, stealing, sexually abusing people and children.. etc in every neighborhood but you idiots don’t focus on that which is truth ( BIG FACTS)!! You taking his life and running with it cause of what the news and these dirty crooked police want you to believe..STOP.. believing everything in the media cause they and the police have been misleading and lying about this whole situation since it began. Again if you never met him or knew him personally PLEASE KEEP IT TO YOURSELF of what you feel and think you got to say!!!
He Should have done what the Police asked of him. He was not a innocent at ALL.
You are a racists POS.
Quick to shoot and the Police shoot to kill not to dis arm how many times is thus going to happen before the city of Aurora stop hiring trigger happy people????🤔🤔🤬 How many more young black men have to lose their life for no reason RIP TI ALL THE YOUNG MEAN THAT DIDNT HAVE A CHANCE IN AURORA UGH 😫😩😩
Don’t forget he was being arrested for shooting an unarmed senior multiple times?
I knew him personally! Been knowing his since 2002, was a great guy who suffered many losses so to be accused of this mess is very unbelievable, seeing his mother damn near had him left after 2 other sons were no longer in the picture! He took good care of those he loved including his children, he wasn’t just some thug out here on the streets jeopardizing neighborhoods an making it unsafe. 💯 people need a story an just want to be heard so they run with this mess! He was an unarmed black male shot an killed by the ones who are supposed to protect us! Definitely wouldn’t have shot him if he was a white male (known facts) rest In Paradise Kilyn Lewis we will meet again friend!
Criminal past or suspicion WILL NEVER be a justification for execution without trial. Anyone who says “zero benefit of the doubt” or similar, know nothing of the law. This isn’t the wild west people, innocent until proven guilty isn’t just a slogan. Police, by law are NOT allowed to just kill. The man was unarmed, the cop was either trigger happy or a complete coward who’s too scared to be working as a cop. Either way, the cop who shot this man should be charged and convicted as a minimum of aggravated manslaughter
Stop playing Victim. He should have listened to commands. The APD Had a job to do.