Family of Commerce City shooting victim questions suspect's motives: “We must stop the violence”

It has been several days since Destiny Davis learned that her brother, 28-year-old Malcolm Watson, was shot and killed during his son's birthday party.

“My brother was just an incredible brother. He was our protector. He was just always laughing and always had a smile on his face,” Davis said.

Davis tells CBS Colorado over the phone that these are the memories she is holding on to as she wrestles with the loss.

“He was simply my heart, my world,” she said.

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

“We have to stop the violence,” Davis said. “Not only did they shoot my brother in cold blood while he was crying, they did it in front of his children.”

46-year-old Lumumba Sayers is now accused of Watson's death, which comes as a surprise to Watson's family as well as other members of the black community.

“That's honestly probably the worst part of this situation,” said Dionte Wilkins, Watson's cousin.

Lumumba Sayers was known to many in the black community as the leader of an initiative against gun violence in the Denver metropolitan area. The former MMA fighter also founded a youth outreach organization called Heavy Hands, Heavy Hearts.

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

“I know it hurts him,” Wilkins said. “I've seen through his posts how it's affected him and just by being there and seeing things through the community.”

Testimony in Sayers' affidavit says he may have killed Watson in retaliation for his son's death. That's a bitter pill to swallow for Watson's family, who say Watson was never involved in what happened to Sayers Jr.

“I'm sorry his son died. I'm very sorry, but that doesn't justify killing the innocent man,” Davis said.

“For whatever reason, he chose him that day. Honestly, it's just sad that it happened,” Wilkins said.

Even more frustrating for Wilkins and his family, however, is the public's disagreement about the allegations surrounding this murder.

“I'm disappointed in a lot of our activists across the city,” Wilkins said. “Him in particular, because of the decisions he made that basically went against everything he preached and spread in the community. Some of the activists are taking sides with the situation and looking for an excuse to somehow make the actions okay. I just don't feel that way.”

Wilkins says he still believes Sayers was committed to the movement against gun violence, but he cannot condone what he did to his own family.

“If he had gotten over that moment, maybe things would have been different,” Wilkins said. “I believe to this day that he believed what he preached. But I think it was tough.” [The] The pain was hard.”

Now he hopes that people in the community can come together, continue to fight against gun violence, and help their loved ones who have lost their lives.

“Mental health is real,” Wilkins said. “Sometimes a lot of things happen that try to destroy us, and if you let it, it will destroy you, and in turn, it can have a huge impact on those affected.”