This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

WESTMINSTER, Colo. -- A security guard shot and killed a man at a Westminster apartment complex after the man allegedly pointed a handgun at him, the Westminster Police Department said Saturday.

But a relative said the victim was not carrying a real firearm.

About 1:25 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Sunset Ridge Apartments, 8300 North Sheridan Blvd., WPD said.

Officers found a man in his 20s who had been shot. The man, identified by family members as David Ludewig, died at the hospital a short time later, WPD said.

Early reports indicated that Ludewig had been involved in a confrontation with a security guard, police said. The security guard said he saw a handgun in Ludewig's hand, and tried to retreat into cover.

As Ludewig raised his weapon, the security guard fired at him, inflicting the fatal wound, he told police.

Jacob Thompson, the victim's brother-in-law, said he believed Ludewig had been out drinking with a cousin and felt that the guard had been harassing them. He said Ludewig was actually armed with an Airsoft gun -- which only fires plastic pellets -- when he was killed.

"It was a bad decision, a terrible decision, but I don't think that it warranted his death," says one of Ludewig's relatives.

Ludewig and his cousin were celebrating the fact that Ludewig's fiance has a baby on the way, Thompson said.

The family says a day dedicated to Dave Ludewig, has been set up for August 24th at the Bonfire Tavern, near Wadsworth and Jewell, in Lakewood. August 24th would have been Ludewig's birthday.

The apartment complex released a statement Monday: "Management of Sunset Ridge Apartments is fully and actively cooperating with the Westminster Police Department in its investigation of the shooting that occurred early Saturday morning when a contract security guard confronted an armed individual. Sunset Ridge Apartments is committed to the safety of its residents."

Fund-raiser Sept. 25th 4 family of man allegedly shot and killed by Westminster security guard. Charity at Herman's Hideaway, 7-12 am.@kdvr — Gregory Nieto (@greg_nieto) August 2, 2014