Aurora Sentinel: The public listening session during city council meetings is back, but city council meetings will remain virtual until the Kilyn Lewis wrongful death lawsuit with Lewis’ family is closed.

“We have seen folks coming, staying within their time limits in our recent meetings, abiding by the decorum rules, at least for members of the public, once we agreed to reinstate the public comment listening session, and so I think that it would be appropriate to give folks a chance to continue that in person,” Councilmember Alison Coombs said.

The change was made after months of protests during city council meetings linked to the death of Lewis, an unarmed Black man who an Aurora SWAT officer killed during his arrest in May 2024. Lewis was accused of a shooting earlier that month in Denver. Some of the protesting spilled over into public hearings during agenda items in the meeting when the city council attempted to cancel the public listening session that happens before the meeting. 

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