Killing of Patrick Lyoya

Killing of Patrick Lyoya

Frame from witness video, showing Schurr on top of Lyoya moments after the shooting
Date	April 4, 2022 (2022-04-04)
Time	c. 8:00 a.m. EST (start of altercation) c. 8:11 a.m. EST (death)
Location	Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Coordinates	42°55′52.9″N 85°38′21.1″W
Type	Homicide by shooting, police killing
Participants	Christopher Schurr (shooter)
Deaths	Patrick Lyoya
Shooting under investigation

On April 4, 2022, Patrick Lyoya, 26-year-old refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was fatally shot in the back of the head by Officer Christopher Schurr of the Grand Rapids Police Department during a scuffle between the two following a traffic stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Authorities reported that Lyoya was unarmed.

Parties involved

Patrick Lyoya

At the time that his vehicle was pulled over for having an improper vehicle registration – the plates were registered to a different vehicle – Lyoya was on probation, his license was revoked and he had two warrants for his arrest, with one being for domestic violence and the other for missing a court hearing.

Lyoya was a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While in the Untied States Lyoya had a difficult time establishing himself; he did not speak the English language well, switched home frequently and changed blue-collar jobs multiple times. Lyoya had also been arrested in various instances for drunk driving and was ordered to be assessed for substance use disorder, with Lyoya telling his friends that he was trying to improve his life. He had two children and had been living in Grand Rapids for about five years prior to the incident.

Christopher Schurr

The officer involved in this incident is 31-year-old Grand Rapids police officer, Christopher Schurr, who has received 16 different letters or certificates of recognition from Grand Rapids police leaders during his time in the department. A May 2016 letter from then-Chief David Rahinksy applauded Schurr for chasing and apprehending someone he pulled over that was driving without a license. In that case, the individual tried to run away from Schurr, before he chased and arrested him for resisting arrest. In December 2018, Rahinsky commended Schurr for chasing and catching and arresting an individual who run from a traffic stop. Two illegal handguns were found at the scene.

Schurr received a criminal justice degree from Siena Heights University in May 2014. Former teammates from his college track team recounted that Schurr was strict with rules and was easily angered, with some questioning whether such a temper would be suitable for a career in law enforcement. Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom initially did not identify the officer who was involved other than saying the officer was a seven-year veteran and was in shock over the incident, and that the department would only release the officer's identity if criminal charges are filed. Joining the GRPD in 2015, Schurr received multiple commendations by police department leaders due to his chasing of individuals on foot. A 2017 review of his performance resulted with multiple officers praising Schurr's actions. The officer, per protocol, was placed on paid administrative leave and his police powers were suspended pending an investigation by the Michigan State Police. The name of the officer involved in the shooting was shared on April 25 by Chief Winstrom, who stated "In the interest of transparency, to reduce on-going speculation, and to avoid any further confusion, I am confirming the name already publicly circulating – Christopher Schurr – as the officer involved in the April 4 Officer-Involved Shooting. Beginning this week, as required by law, the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) will be releasing documents in response to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act relative to this incident."

Grand Rapids Police Department

For years, the Grand Rapids Police Department had faced criticism nationally for alleged police brutality prior to the incident and for incidents of officers drawing guns on people of color. In 2017, city data showed that black individuals were pulled over twice as much as non-black individuals. Since 2017, groups and civil rights activists had already been raising concerns about police brutality in Grand Rapids and called for better initiatives to bring better community relations between citizens and the police. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights received dozens of complaints regarding GRPD and calls to investigate possible racial discrimination used by the police department prior to the shooting. Investigations by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights began in 2019, though the department put investigations on hold citing a lack of resources and staff.

According to MLive, controversial incidents involving GRPD officers and people of color continued, with the news outlet listing events where a 12-year-old black girl was handcuffed, two Latinos boys were approached at gunpoint and handcuffed for walking in the road and in September 2021 a black man was accidentally arrested at gunpoint preparing for the wake of his mother-in-law after matching the description of the suspect. The Hill wrote "the Grand Rapids Police Department has been involved with several other incidents involving alleged excessive use of force", detailing a 2021 event where a black 26-year-old man was punched repeatedly in the head by a GRPD officer during an alleged littering incident.

Following the incident, The New York Times reported:

Mr. Lyoya’s death was the latest in a series of incidents that have strained relations between residents and the Grand Rapids police. In 2017, officers searching for a middle-aged woman wanted for a stabbing instead handcuffed an 11-year-old girl at gunpoint while she was leaving a house. Those officers were not disciplined. Months prior, other Grand Rapids officers held five innocent teenagers at gunpoint. And in 2020, local outlets reported, an officer was suspended for two days after shooting a protester in the face with a gas canister.

The city responded to such incidents by hiring consultants and drew up plans to address concerns related to the behavior of its police department, including a youth interaction program for police. In 2018, consultant group 21st Century Policing Solutions provided recommendations and monitored police behavior, with MLive writing the group concluded GRPD "had much more work to be done". The city also initiated studies to evaluate the relationship of residents and the police. In 2020, City of Grand Rapids survey data revealed that Black respondents held less trust in GRPD than White or Hispanic respondents. That same year, the GRPD outlined a plan, according to MLive, that included "making every patrol officer a community policing specialist, pilot a co-response of officers and mental health workers to specific incidents, enhance community communication, evaluate specific police technologies and more".

Incident

External videos
Cellphone footage of the incident on April 4, 2022 on YouTube

In a dashcam video, the Schurr can be seen driving alone his patrol vehicle into a home's driveway to turn around and follow Lyoya's vehicle, a Nissan Altima, through a few residential blocks. Lyoya's family reported that Patrick was experiencing issues with the vehicle he was driving and had already pulled over. At 8:11 a.m. EST, the Grand Rapids Police Department reported that Patrick Lyoya was pulled over near Griggs Street SE and Nelson Avenue in a traffic stop for an alleged unregistered license plate. In videos recorded during the incident, Lyoya exits his sedan as Schurr shouts at him to remain in the vehicle, with Lyoya asking the officer "What did I do wrong?" Lyoya appears confused as the officer asks him for his driver's license, with Lyoya facing the open door of his vehicle for about thirty seconds but does not enter. Lyoya then begins to walk away towards the hood of the vehicle and Schurr grabs him by the arm in an unsuccessful attempt to detain him, with Lyoya shrugging off the officer's grab. Lyoya is then seen running as the officer calls for backup at 8:13 a.m. EST and runs after him and a scuffle ensues. Schurr tells Lyoya "Stop resisting" and Lyoya replies, saying "Okay" as his hands are behind his back.

Schurr then pulls out his taser gun and aims it at Lyoya, who pushes it away from his body. With the officer missing twice with the taser, the two can be seen grasping the weapon during the incident, with Lyoya attempting to push the taser gun to the ground away from himself. During the scuffle, Lyoya can be heard asking Schurr "Stop what you are doing, please" while the passenger of the car can be heard telling the officer "Stop. You don't have to do all of that; you can talk to him". At about 8:16 a.m. EST, Schurr then drew his service weapon and pressed it to the back of Lyoya's head whilst the officer pinned him to the ground, with the officer being heard yelling "Drop the taser!" and discharging his gun into the back of Lyoya's head. Chief Winstrom confirmed that the gunshot wound inflicted upon Lyoya was in the back of his head, that Lyoya had no weapons on his person and that the police body camera was deactivated during the incident.

Investigations

Following the shooting, the Michigan State Police (MSP) opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Lyoya's death. Multiple videos of the incident, from a police dashcam, a police body camera, a video doorbell and the cell phone of Lyoya's passenger in the vehicle, were released during a press conference by Chief Winstrom on April 13. The investigations conducted by the MSP then go to Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, who will decide whether or not to charge the officer. Becker stated following the release of videos that "[w]hile the videos released today are important evidence, they are not all evidence" and chose not to immediately press charges against the officer, waiting for investigations to conclude. After it was discovered that the local police union donated funds to Becker's campaign as the Republican candidate for county prosecutor elections in 2016, some in the community called for Becker to recuse himself from the investigation of the shooting. County commissioner Robert S. Womack described the funding of Becker as a "conflict of interest", though attorneys representing the family of Lyoya said that none existed, instead arguing that biases of local prosecutors favoring police exists everywhere due to their frequent collaborations.

As part of an independent autopsy by Dr. Werner Spitz, he concluded that Lyoya was shot with the gun pressed against the back of his head and that the bullet became stuck into his right temporal bone. During the press conference on April 19, attorney Benjamin Crump said that Lyoya had the potential to have a life span into his 80s and could have lived a "long and fruitful life".

Response

Lyoya family response

We are condemning Russian soldiers for shooting civilians in Ukraine in the back of the head, ... Why aren't we condemning police officers here in the United States of America shooting Black civilians in the back of the head? If it's wrong in Ukraine ... it's wrong in Grand Rapids, Michigan

—Benjamin Crump

Lyoya's family and their interpreter Pastor Israel Siku were later shown footage of the incident at an MSP office and reported that Patrick was killed "execution style", with Siku telling his congregation "I saw the video, I could not sleep ... The boy was on the floor, the cop as he lays on him, pulls up the gun and shoots him in the head and back up. Patrick did not move." Siku would also translate a statement from Lyoya's father, who said "I witnessed this thing in Africa. I never expected to see it happen in America." Lyoya's family demanded the immediate public release of footage related to the incident, an open autopsy, the identification of the officer and that a Swahili language translator be present when the family meets with authorities.

Attorney Benjamin Crump, who had worked with the families of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor represented Lyoya's family, also demanded the prompt release of any recordings. In the re-enactment of the video from Lyoya's family's perspective, one man representing Lyoya is lying prone on the ground while the other man representing the officer kneels on the prone man's back while holding a finger gun gesture to the back of his head.

In Lansing, the Lyoya family held a vigil at the Epicenter of Worship. At the vigil, Pastor Sean Holland preached "For it was on Good Friday that a man named Jesus was illegally arrested and murdered at the hands of the state. But three days later, justice. There will be a resurrection, ... It is important that we name what happened. Our brother was murdered."

Police response

GRPD headquarters fortified prior to video releases on April 12

On April 6, Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack stated "This was an execution. My career was threatened yesterday and today to be quiet." President of the Greater Grand Rapids NAACP Cle Jackson stated in a news conference shortly after the incident "We’ve constantly, constantly been talking about the harassment and the brutality that’s done right here". After the release of statements regarding Lyoya's death, the NAACP of Grand Rapids demanded the immediate release of the video on April 6.

On April 12, authorities announced that they would release mostly-uncensored videos from four different angles of Lyoya's killing the following day, saying that some images "may have been redacted/blurred to ensure privacy." Chief Winstrom stated that authorities would not release the identity of the officer involved in the shooting. Before the video was released, GRPD began to place barriers outside of their headquarters in preparation for demonstrations. Chief Winstrom described the incident as "a tragedy".

Authorities and organizations

A Grand Rapids City Commission meeting was held that evening and more than 100 protesters organized by the Royal Black Panther Party Grand Rapids marched outside, with chants from the demonstrations being heard in the Council Chambers nine-stories up. Kent County Commissioner Womack stated at the meeting "We want to see more de-escalation, more training, but that's enough about the system cause everyone is going to be emotionally hurt when they see this...and the family is asking for peace, so I thank the young people who have been acting peacefully....We don't wanna see anymore people die."

Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer shared her sympathy with Lyoya's family and asked for any protests to be peaceful. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker stated following the release of videos that "[w]hile the videos released today are important evidence, they are not all evidence", with Kent County officials waiting for an investigation to complete before deciding whether to press charges against the officer.

Protesters outside of the GRPD headquarters on April 13 following the release of videos showing Lyoya's killing

Demonstrators lock arms while marching on April 16

Public response

A march was held on April 9 in southeast Grand Rapids, with Siku gathering individuals to watch two men re-enact what was reportedly seen in the video. German newspaper Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung wrote, "Deadly police operations of a similar nature are sadly regularly occurring in the USA", further explaining that the case is reminiscent of the murder of George Floyd. Residents of Grand Rapids responded to the release of the videos, with hundreds demonstrating in the downtown area and outside of the GRPD headquarters.

Since the release of the video, protests occurred in Grand Rapids daily. Large protests organized by the Royal Black Panther Party also occurred on April 16, with hundreds marching throughout the city. Leaders of the march encouraged demonstrators to maintain peaceful, with some in the crowd carrying assault rifles and providing directions for the group. As the march approached Van Andel Arena, authorities blocked the area as there was a Kid Rock concert underway. The protest was overall peaceful without any physical altercations occurring, with marchers verbally confronting officers on occasion. After night fell, some protesters attempted to enter the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel around 9:00 p.m., though they were redirected and the march moved on. An hour later, the march finalized, though a small crowd gathered in Rosa Parks Circle to dance to music on a loudspeaker. In Portland, a march against the killing of Lyoya began in Peninsula Park at 9:00 p.m. PST, with protesters in the Oregon city damaging "a coffee shop, two banks, and three bus shelters", according to KATU.

On April 22, the funeral for Lyoya was held at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ, attended by nearly 1,000 people, with many approaching his white casket draped with the flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to pay their respect. The eulogy was given by Reverend Al Sharpton, who began his speech noting that Lyoya's death coincided with the 54th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Sharpton demanded the release of the officer's name, citing how those in the general public accused of crimes have their background ridiculed while police are protected, also sharing concerns that if the officer was not charged they would remain unidentified. Later in the eulogy, Sharpton would go on to demand a federal investigation and made comparisons to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, stating "We stand with President Biden for those victims in Ukraine. ... but they shot a young boy in the United States, ... from Ukraine to Grand Rapids we must stand up for victims".

See also

• Lists of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States