Grand Rapids officer charged with second-degree murder in shooting of Patrick Lyoya
This Thursday, Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr was charged with one count of second-degree murder in the death of Patrick Lyoya — the Black man who was fatally shot in the back of the head during a struggle after an April traffic stop.
The decision was announced by Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker after spending six weeks reviewing forensic and toxicology reports, as well as the results of an official investigation conducted by Michigan State Police. While explaining the charge, Becker said, “This is not a quick decision I took lightly. I hope that it sends the message that we take these cases seriously.” He added, “Everyone thinks prosecutors are an arm or branch for police and we are not … Our duty is pubic safety, we work with them but we don’t work for them.”
Becker added that charges have already been filed against Officer Christopher Schurr. He has turned himself in and will be arraigned on Friday, he said. To note, a second-degree murder charge is a felony offense in Michigan; punishable up to life in prison.
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Here’s What Happened
The 26-year-old was shot to death on April 4 by an officer who was trying to arrest him after a traffic stop. The situation led to outrage on and offline as multiple videos show Lyoya’s final moments.
In May, the prosecutor reviewing the case, Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Becker, announced that he was seeking guidance from outside experts before deciding whether to charge the officer. The city of Grand Rapids placed the officer, Christopher Schurr, who is White, on paid leave and was suspended of his police powers after the shooting.
Video footage released by the Grand Rapids Police Department showed during the stop, Lyoya exited his vehicle in which Schurr repeatedly requested that Lyoya stay inside of the vehicle. After further exchanges Lyoya began to run from Schurr before the officer was able to make contact. From there, a struggle ensued between the two. Schurr pinned Lyoya faced down on the ground. The struggle continued before Schurr discharged his Taser, missing Lyoya during the encounter. Following that, the officer removed his gun and shot Lyoya in the back of the head.
Attorney Ben Crump released a statement following the announcement of the charge. He said,
“We are encouraged by attorney Christopher Becker’s decision to charge Christopher Schurr for the brutal killing of Patrick Lyoya, which we all witnessed when the video footage was released to the public. While the road to justice for Patrick and his family has just begun, this decision is a crucial step in the right direction. Officer Schurr 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.”
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