Grand Rapids — A second-degree murder charge was announced for Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Shurr. The charging announcement came Thursday by the Keny County prosecutor following the shooting death of motorist Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop on April 4.
“While the road to justice for Patrick and his family has just begun, this decision is crucial step in the right direction,” said Benajmin Crump, civil rights attorney for Lyoya’s family said in a statement. “Officer Shurr must be held accountable for his decision to pursue an unarmed Patrick, ultimately shooting him in the back of the head and killing him – for nothing more than a traffic stop.”
Lyoya lived in Grand Rapids for five years and had immigrated to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2014. Lyoya’s body had lay in a white casket with his native country’s flag draped on top of it.
Following days of public outcry from community leaders, the police agency released video footage of the incident captured from the patrol car’s dashboard, the officer’s body-worn camera, and from a home surveillance video.
The officer, informed Lyoya that he was pulled over because the license plate didn’t match his car. The range of video images captures Lyoya stepping out of his car and the officer ordering him to get back in the car. “What did I do wrong?”, Lyoya asked. After some conversation on whether he was in possession of a driver’s license, the officer reapproaches the vehicle and grabs Lyoya, he then pulled away and ran, according to video. A short chase ensued, followed by the officer tackling Lyoya to the ground and a struggle between the two men on the front lawn of a residence.
Video footage from the officer’s camera captures a struggle with Lyoya for his Taser. At some point during the scuffle, the officer’s body camera is turned off and it remains unclear who applied the pressure to turn off the device whether mistakenly or intentional, according to city officials.
Video footage from a witness captured the final moments of Lyoya alive as he lay faced down to the ground and attempting to kneel up while the officer’s body lay on top of him. “Let go of the Taser,” the officer yelled in the moment right before firing the fatal shot.
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