AURORA, Colo. — Community members who are upset and frustrated by the recent deadly police shooting of a 37-year-old Black man plan to share their concerns with Aurora City Council members Monday night.
Denver7 has learned that several community members will address the council during its public listening session.
An Aurora police officer shot and killed Rajon Belt-Stubblefield during a confrontation following an attempted traffic stop near I-225 and 6th Avenue on Aug. 30.
Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said the officer, who has not been officially identified, tried to de-escalate things before using deadly force.
"This was a tragic incident, a life was lost, an officer was forced to make a split-second decision that no one wanted,” Chamberlain said during a press conference last week. "It's always easy to second guess an officer after the fact, but in the moment, faced with an armed and aggressive individual who created the danger, he gave commands, he tried to intervene without deadly force, but the suspect chose, and choices left him with no other safe alternative."
Watch APD's full press conference from Sept. 2 about this shooting in the video below.
Aurora city leaders had already been facing criticism for their handling of the shooting death of another 37-year-old Black man, Kilyn Lewis, in May of last year.
People protesting the Lewis shooting began showing up at city council meetings, demanding change. The council suspended in-person city meetings because they said protesters kept disrupting city business.
MiDian Shofner, who serves as a spokesperson for the Lewis family, said by suspending in-person meetings and severely restricting time for public comment, council members sent a message that they don’t want to hear what the community has to say.
“The majority of the members of council have aligned themselves to this police violence because they won't condemn it,” said Shofner, who serves as the CEO of the nonprofit Epitome of Black Excellence & Partnership.
The organization sued the City of Aurora because it moved to virtual council meetings and restricted public comment.
Shofner and other community members plan to speak to the city council on Monday night during the public listening session to voice their frustrations about the shooting of Belt-Stubblefield.
“The message for the Aurora City Council is this: Blood is on your hands,” said Shofner.
Instead of speaking out every week to the council, Shofner said community members who are concerned about police shootings have shifted their strategy. She said they are now trying to increase voter participation in Aurora’s general election on Nov. 4. They say several council members who don’t support them will be up for re-election.
“This election is absolutely critical,” Shofner said. “Because it can turn the tide of what we are seeing from leaders in Aurora. No longer will you have a majority that is going to affirm or align themselves to the police violence and the other harms that we are seeing.”
A spokesperson for the city told Denver7 council meetings will remain virtual but said council members could change this at any time through a vote during their meetings.
Aurora City Council’s listening session is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. The public can watch the listening session online.
For information about how to sign up to speak, or to look at the council’s agenda, visit this city webpage.
