Protesters are calling for the arrest of the Aurora police officer who fatally shot Kilyn Lewis

Demonstrators gathered outside the Aurora Civic Center Friday evening to protest the death of Kilyn Lewis, an unarmed man who was shot and killed by an Aurora police officer last month. About 40 of Lewis’ friends and family members gathered to remember Lewis and ask for the arrest of the officer who shot him.

“It’s really about the family having an opportunity to celebrate the life of Kylin Lewis,” said Candice Bailey, spokeswoman for Lewis’ family. “But we also want this community, city council and police to know that they are on guard now.”

Bailey and other protesters said they were seeking justice for Lewis’ death and that the rally was a “call to action” for a complete restructuring of the Aurora Police Department and the arrest of Officer Michael Dieck, who fatally shot the 37-year-old unarmed black man.

The protest was organized after Aurora police released body-worn camera footage of a fatal shooting earlier this week. The footage shows Lewis being surrounded by multiple SWAT officers. In a statement, Aurora’s interim police chief, Heather Morris, said Aurora’s SWAT team was asked to help arrest Lewis in connection with the homicide. The Aurora Police Department’s internal affairs unit is currently investigating the shooting.

Kylin Lewis’ family stands outside the Aurora Community Center. They were joined by about 40 other protesters in calling for the immediate arrest of Officer Michael Dieck, the Aurora police officer who fatally shot Lewis. (From left to right: Kiawa Lewis, Candice Bailey, LaRonda Jones, Anndrec Lewis, Robert Lewis and Sherdina Lewis)

Lewis was working on the car stereo system when officers approached him in the apartment parking lot. Less than 10 seconds passed from the moment the officers confronted Lewis to the moment Dieck fired a single shot.

Dieck is currently on paid administrative leave.

“(Officer Dieck) hurt my dad,” Kilyn Lewis Jr., Lewis’ 16-year-old son, told the crowd. “(My dad) was a good man, a good father. I miss him very much. But we will get justice for my dad soon.

LaRonda Jones, Lewis’ mother, and Kiawa Lewis, his brother, were also among the protesters – each holding photos of Lewis in front of the crowd.

“I always called Kylin my sweet, cuddly teddy bear because that’s what he was,” Jones said. She also said she was calling for “accountability” for Dieck’s actions. Jones and her family called for the “immediate arrest of Officer Dieck.”