Charging decision coming this afternoon in death of Patrick Lyoya, who officer shot in back of the head
At 3 p.m., Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker will disclose whether Grand Rapids officer Christopher Schurr will face charges.
The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office is expected to announce today whether the Grand Rapids, Michigan police officer who allegedly shot unarmed Patrick Lyoya in the back of the head will face criminal charges.
According to The Detroit Free Press, at a 3 p.m. news conference, Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker will disclose whether Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr will be held accountable for allegedly shooting the 26-year-old refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo on April 4 following an on-foot chase after Schurr pulled him over for a traffic violation.
Come back to theGrio this afternoon for updates about the charging decision.
Lyoya was allegedly driving a vehicle with license plates that did not match the car. Further, he was on probation with a revoked license and reports indicate that he allegedly had a blood-alcohol level above 0.08%, the threshold for drunken driving in Michigan. He was unarmed, however, when he attempted to flee the scene.
The father of two was chased by Officer Schurr, who wrestled him to the ground. According to The Free Press, the two struggled for Schurr’s weapon, although previous reports contend that the two struggled over Schurr’s Taser. When Lyoya was face down in the grass, the officer shot him once in the back of the head, killing him.
Video of the incident was released by a bystander and prompted national outrage.
America is an act of violence
As previously reported by theGrio, Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom released four videos, including critical footage of the shooting that morning. “I view it as a tragedy … It was a progression of sadness for me,” said Winstrom, a former high-ranking Chicago police commander who became Grand Rapids chief in March.
“From my view of the video, Taser was deployed twice. Taser did not make contact,” he told reporters. “And Mr. Lyoya was shot in the head. However, that’s the only information that I have.”
Schurr’s body camera was turned off during the shooting.
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