The Case of Kilyn Lewis and the Fight for Systemic Change
On Saturday, August 31st, the calendar marked a grim milestone: 100 days since Kilyn Lewis was murdered by Aurora Police. For most, the days have passed in relative normalcy, but for Kilyn’s family, especially his mother, LaRonda, these 100 days have been filled with heartache, anger, and a profound sense of injustice. Their grief is deepened by the lack of accountability for the officer who took Kilyn’s life, and the inaction of those in power who are supposed to serve and protect.
Kilyn Lewis was unarmed when he was shot and killed by the Aurora Police. His death is part of a long and disturbing history of police violence against Black people in the United States. In these 100 days, the Aurora City Council, District Attorney Kellner, and the Aurora Police Department have all remained silent, effectively turning their backs on a grieving family and a community in pain.
This silence is not just negligence; it is complicity in a system that routinely fails to hold police accountable for their actions. Too often, the narrative of police violence is framed as the work of a few “bad apples.” But this explanation is a dangerous oversimplification that ignores the systemic issues that allow these tragedies to happen again and again.
The murder of Kilyn Lewis is not an isolated incident. It is the result of deeply ingrained, institutionalized racism within the criminal legal system that consistently values the lives of some over others. The mechanisms designed to hold law enforcement accountable—such as consent decrees and community advisory boards—have proven to be insufficient. They offer a veneer of oversight without the power to enact real change.
What is needed is not superficial reform, but a radical transformation of the criminal legal system. We demand true accountability—officers who kill must face consequences, and the communities they terrorize must have a say in how they are policed. Community oversight should be real and powerful, not just an empty promise.
As we stand with Kilyn’s family, we also call on everyone to join us in this fight. The fight for justice, the fight for accountability, and the fight for a criminal legal system that truly serves and protects all members of the community. These past 100 days have been marked by inaction, but the next 100 must be marked by relentless action towards systemic change.
Let us not wait another 100 days for justice. Let us demand it now.
