Michigan Police Videos Confirm Cop Executed Patrick Lyoya
Video footage has finally been released in the recent police shooting of an unarmed Black motorist in Michigan and confirms the officer shot him in the back of his head following a brief struggle over a misdemeanor traffic stop for unregistered license plates.
The city of Grand Rapids held a press conference Wednesday to release about 20 minutes of footage showing the killing of Patrick Lyoya on April 4. Grand Police Chief Eric Winstrom was joined by city officials to release a series of videos that all revealed different angles of the incident recorded by the unidentified officer’s dashcam, his bodycam, a cellphone and a neighbor’s home security camera.
The video footage was released following days of demands from Lyoya’s family and friends.
The cellphone video was recorded by a passenger in the car Lyoya was driving when he was pulled over and shows the moment when the officer shot the 26-year-old in the back of his head.
Taken together, the video footage shows Lyoya being pulled over on a rainy morning on a residential street lined with homes. Lyoya immediately got out of his car to confront the officer, who promptly told him to get back inside, something Lyoya did not do. Instead, he was shown engaging with the officer, who asked, “can you speak English?” in response to Lyoya’s Congolese accent.
The two eventually begin to struggle, with Lyoya running away at a slow pace around the back of his car and onto the lawn of a home, where the officer managed to tackle him. As they wrestled on the lawn, the officer failed to restrain Lyoya multiple times.
They then scuffled for the officer’s Taser, which Lyoya pushed away while it was being deployed. The officer yells at Lyoya numerous times to let the Taser go. After getting Lyoya on his back the officer then reaches to his hip, grabs his gun, and shoots Lyoya in the back of his head with a single shot, executioner style.
The officer who took Lyoya’s life has not been arrested or charged. The officer is on paid leave pending the investigation. Winstrom, who began working as the Grand Rapids police chief on March 22 and hasn’t been on the job for a month, said the officer’s identity will only be revealed if there are criminal charges.
Although the officer was wearing a body camera, it was deactivated during the struggle.
Winstrom also showed video from a neighbor’s home security camera, and the officer’s body camera, although the body camera was deactivated during the struggle.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been retained by Lyoya’s family, said Lyoya got “a fatal bullet to the back of the head.” He demanded accountability.
“The video clearly shows that this was an unnecessary, excessive, and fatal use of force against an unarmed Black man who was confused by the encounter and terrified for his life,” Crump said in an email to NewsOne after the video footage was released. “It should be noted that Patrick never used violence against this officer even though the officer used violence against him in several instances for what was a misdemeanor traffic stop.”
He added: “We demand that the officer who killed Patrick not only be terminated for his use of excessive and fatal force, but be arrested and prosecuted for the violent killing of Patrick Lyoya.”
A Grand Rapids (MI) police officer fatally shot Patrick Lyoya in the BACK of the head during a traffic stop! Patrick’s fate is every Black family’s nightmare! We need justice & transparency — Demand the release of body and dash-camera footage of his death! pic.twitter.com/h0hNQF7iqs
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) April 11, 2022
The video footage can be seen by clicking here. Be advised it is graphic in nature.
Winstrom was joined by Brandon Davis, the commissioner of Grand Rapids’ Office of Oversight and Public Accountability, who said he will work to being “accountability and transparency” to the process of seeking justice for the shooting.
Davis said it is now up to local prosecutors to decide whether to charge the officer.
“We will seek truth,” Davis said before Winstrom showed the videos.
The parents of Lyoya, who moved from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the United States seven years ago, said they had already seen the dash and body camera video of the incident and want justice for their son.
A family spokesperson who also saw the dashcam footage previously said the officer shot Lyoya in the back of his head following a “lengthy struggle.”
Peter Lyoya, Patrick’s father, spoke to the outlet M-Live via his interpreter Israel Siku.
“I don’t know what to do because I am confused. I want justice for Patrick,” the elder Lyoya said. “I want people to see the way my son was killed. I want the entire world to see how my son was executed.”
Hundreds of supporters joined the Lyoya family as they marched in southeast Grand Rapids, urging officials to release the body camera and dash camera footage of the shooting to the public. The march came in response to Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, who announced that he would not release video footage of the fatal exchange until after the investigation was complete.
According to KTVU, marchers reportedly shouted, “show the video!” and “we want the world to know” as they rallied in support of the family. Following the protest, attendees organized an emotional candlelight vigil for Patrick at the Center for Community Transformation.
A GoFundMe set up following the tragic shooting raised nearly $26,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
“Patrick was a father of 2 daughters and a big brother to 5 siblings,” Lyoya’s GoFundMe says. “Patrick loved playing soccer and spending time with his loved ones but now he can’t do that anymore. Help us raise money for his funeral. Anything helps!”
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A Grand Rapids Police Officer Killed Patrick Lyoya, Now His Family Wants Video Footage Released