Commerce City shooting victim's family questions suspect's motives: "We need to stop the violence"

It's been several days since Destiny Davis learned her brother, 28-year-old Malcolm Watson, was gunned down during his son's birthday party.

"My brother was just amazing brother. He was our protector. He was just always laughing, always had a smile on his face," said Davis.

Davis tells CBS Colorado over the phone these are memories she holds on to as she grapples with the loss.

"He was just my heart, my world," she said.

On Aug. 10, Watson was shot in the head while family and friends celebrated his son's birthday at Paradice Island Pool in Commerce City.  

"We need to stop the violence," said Davis. "Not only did you shoot my brother cold-blooded in a harness crying, but you did it in front of his children."

Lumumba Sayers, 46, is now facing charges for Watson's death, which comes as much of a surprise to Watson's family as it does to other people in the black community. He appeared in court on a first-degree murder charge on Thursday.  

"That's honestly probably the worst part about this situation," said Dionte Wilkins, Watson's cousin.

For many in the black community, Lumumba Sayers was well known for leading anti-gun violence initiatives in the Denver metro. The former MMA fighter also founded a youth mentoring organization called Heavy Hands, Heavy Hearts.

Sayers' son, Lumumba Sayers Jr., was killed nearly a year ago in a quadruple shooting. A suspect was charged at the time, but his case was dismissed.

"I know he's been hurting," said Wilkins. "I watched it affect him through his posts and just kind of being around and seeing things through the community."

Witness testimony in Sayers' arrest affidavit says he may have killed Watson as a form of retaliation for his son's death. For Watson's family, this is a hard pill to swallow because they say Watson was never involved in what happened to Sayers Jr.

"I'm sorry that his son died. I'm very sorry, but that does not justify you killing the innocent man," said Davis.

"For whatever reason that's who he chose that day. It's just sad that it happened honestly," said Wilkins.

However, what has become more frustrating for Wilkins and his family is how divided people have become about the allegations surrounding this homicide.

"I'm disappointed in a lot of our activists throughout the city," said Wilkins. "Him specifically, for the decisions he made and really kind of going against everything that he preached and put out into the community. Some of the activists are siding with the situation, finding an excuse to somehow make the actions okay. I just don't feel that."

Wilkins says he still believes Sayers did care for the anti-gun violence movement but cannot support what he may have done to his own family.

"If he could've snapped out of that moment, maybe it could be different," said Wilkins. "I still to this day believe he believed what he was preaching. But I feel like it was tough. [The] pain was hard."

Now he hopes people in the community can come together, continue advocating against gun violence, and help loved ones going through loss.

"Mental health is real," said Wilkins. "Sometimes a lot of things will happen that will try to break us, and if you allow it, it'll break you and in turn, it could make a big trickle effect on who it affects."