A former professional MMA fighter and community activist from Aurora was charged with first-degree murder this week after police say he fatally shot a 28-year-old man during a child’s birthday party in a Commerce City park in retaliation for the death of his son.
Lumumba Sayers, 46, is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault in the Saturday shooting of Malcolm Watson near Paradice Island Pool in Pioneer Park.
He appeared in Adams County District Court on Thursday, where a judge increased his bail from $1 million to $5 million.
According to an arrest affidavit and testimony given in court Thursday, Watson was carrying party favors for his son’s birthday at the pool at 5951 Monaco St. when Sayers walked up and shot him multiple times, including once in the head.
After shooting Watson, Sayers went to talk to a man and a woman in a black Cadillac Escalade parked nearby before returning to Watson’s body, getting his keys and trying to place a gun under his body, the affidavit said.
Commerce City police officers arrived on the scene and found Sayers standing over Watson before he began walking toward the Escalade, the affidavit said.
Officers arrested him after witnesses started shouting that he was the shooter. Watson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses told investigators they believed the shooting was retaliation or revenge for the death of Sayers’ son, 23-year-old Lumumba Sayers Jr., who was killed nearly a year ago in a shooting involving one of Watson’s friends, according to the affidavit.
Lumumba Sayers Jr. was one of two people killed in a shooting near 18th Street and Welton Street in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood on August 19, 2023.
Denver police arrested 24-year-old Tyrell Braxton on suspicion of first-degree murder in the shooting, but no public court records are available in the case.
In response to an investigation into Braxton’s case, the Denver District Attorney’s Office stated that “no such record exists,” which is the only response prosecutors can provide under Colorado law when a case is sealed.
Braxton is scheduled to appear in federal court in Denver this week on a weapons charge related to the August 2023 shooting, according to court records.
Court records show he was indicted by a grand jury in January on a charge of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
The trial will conclude this week, court officials said Thursday.
After the death of his son, Sayers told reporters from Denver7 that Sayers Jr. is committed to preventing gun violence in the community and was a regular at his father’s Aurora gym, the Heavy Hands Heavy Hearts Center.
The center, which the elder Sayers described as its founder in social media posts, is “a safe place where youth and adults are provided with basic needs, educational and career support, health care benefits, recreation and outreach services to assist with job creation and a building a sustainable life,” according to a description on the Facebook page.
Defense attorneys argued that Sayers was an “exceptional” man and defended his character and standing in the community during Thursday’s hearing, while prosecutors argued that he posed a danger to the community and Watson’s family, as well as a flight risk.
Adams County District Court Judge Jeffrey Ruff ordered $5 million cash-only bail, calling it the “only acceptable bond” in the case.
Sayers’ next court date was not available Thursday.
Sign up to receive crime news straight to your inbox every day.
Originally published: