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The mother of Donovan Lewis, the 20-year-old Black man killed by Columbus police, is speaking out for the time since her son's shooting, which she said she first found out about on the internet.
"I made it to the scene while they were still in the early stages, and they would not give me any information at all," Rebecca Duran told Linsey Davis Wednesday (September 7) in an exclusive interview for ABC News.
"The news was releasing information on the internet before I could get it," Duran added. "I was on the scene and I needed to see what actually happened.
The fatal shooting unfolded last week as police attempted to execute an arrest warrant on charges of improper handling of a firearm, assault, and domestic violence around 2 a.m. at Lewis' Columbus apartment.
Body camera footage shows Columbus Police officer Ricky Anderson opening a back bedroom door and within moments opening fire against Lewis who was in bed.
Duran said her son was treated like "an animal" by authorities and was mishandled following the shooting.
"There was no attempt to preserve his life, frisking him, handcuffed, flipping them around on the bed. I work in health care," Duran said.
The victim's mother noted that she hasn't watched the full encounter between police and Lewis shown in body camera footage released hours after his death.
"I have seen snippets," Duran said. "I don't have to see the worst treatment of him."
She said her son was a loving boy who would always put others before himself.
"He loved life. He had a zest for life. He loved people. He had the biggest heart," Duran said.
"The people that have reached out to me, teachers, coaches, a host of people throughout his life, his friends all talk about his awesome sense of humor, his awesome smile….You know, how much he cared about those around him. And even when he had nothing, he wanted others to succeed," she added.
Duran and her attorney Rex Elliot said they plan to file a lawsuit against Anderson and the city of Columbus for violating Lewis' civil rights and employing excessive force that "wasn't called for."
Mark Collins, the lawyer representing the officer who shot and killed Lewis, previously called for a "thorough investigation" of the incident, per ABC News.
Anderson remains on paid leave as Columbus' Inspector General Jacqueline Hendricks is set to open an investigation into Lewis' case.
Duran said she wants to see the officer fired and behind bars.
"He should never be able to perform any type of duties as an officer anywhere in the world," Duran said.
Duran and Elliott both believe that race played a factor in Lewis' death.
"I don't know how you can't reach any other conclusion," Elliott said. "He had multiple white police officers bearing down on a young, unarmed black kid in a community they didn't understand. And that boy had to be petrified as he was rising up out of bed and thinking about all the other incidents that have occurred in this country."
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