Michigan Police Release Footage of White Cop Fatally Shooting Black Man

Michigan police have released footage of a black man being shot in the back of the head by a white cop during a struggle over the officer’s Taser following a traffic stop, prompting calls for justice as the family’s high-profile attorney claimed ‘unnecessary, excessive used of force was used.’

Amid public outcry for transparency, police released the footage on Wednesday showing Patrick Lyoya, 26, facedown on the ground as he is fatally shot by the officer in Grand Rapids on April 4.

Newly released video shows a Grand Rapids (MI) police officer shooting unarmed 26 yo Patrick Lyoya while he was on the ground & facing away from the officer! Patrick never used violence against this officer even though the officer used violence against him in several instances. pic.twitter.com/5vNSWDYUpz

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) April 13, 2022

The newly released footage also shows the moments leading up to the shooting, including the traffic stop over suspicions involving Lyoya’s license plate, which led to a brief foot chase and struggle over the cop’s Taser.

It is not clear from any of the videos if or when Lyoya tried to grab the cop’s Taser, but the cop is heard yelling at him to let go of the device, which was deployed twice, but didn’t strike anyone, officials said.

Lyoya’s family have retained prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been dubbed ‘Black America’s Attorney General’. He also represented the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Aubrey and Trayvon Martin. He is calling for the officer to be fired and prosecuted.

‘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 a release.

‘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.

Grand Rapids police officials have placed the officer, a seven-year veteran who has not been named publicly, on administrative leave and have asked the Michigan State Police to investigate the shooting.

Kent County’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Stephen Cohle, said he completed the autopsy but toxicology tests have not been finished.

Prosecutors in Kent County told CNN on Wednesday that they will make a decision on possible criminal charges once the Michigan State Police investigation is complete.

Citing a need for transparency, the city’s new police chief, Eric Winstrom, released four videos Wednesday, including critical footage of the shooting recorded by a passenger in Lyoya’s car on that rainy 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. The city of about 200,000 is about 150 miles northwest of Detroit.

The videos released on Wednesday by police were taken from the dashboard of the officer’s squad car, from his body-worn camera and from a neighbor’s surveillance camera.

The traffic stop was tense from the start.

Lyoya, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is seen stepping out of the car on a rainy street of Griggs and Nelson SE, seemingly confused and asking ‘What did I do?’ as the officer repeatedly asks for a driver’s license and orders him to get back inside the vehicle.

‘I’m stopping ya, do you have a license? Do you have a driver’s license, do you speak English?’ he asks.

Lyoya confirms he speaks English and opens the driver’s side door and speaks to his passenger.

He then shuts his door, turns his back to the officer and appears to walk away.

‘No, no, no, stop, stop,’ the officer is heard saying, and puts his hands on Lyoya’s shoulder.

Lyoya is seen resisting the officer and then starts running until the officer tackles him to the ground.

Lyoya and the cop grapple in front of several homes while Lyoya’s passenger got out and watched.

The officer repeatedly orders Lyoya to ‘let go’ of his Taser, at one point demanding: ‘Drop the Taser!’

It is not clear from any of the videos if or when Lyoya tried to grab the cop’s Taser, but the cop is heard yelling at him to let go of the device, which was deployed twice, but didn’t strike anyone, officials said.

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Chief Winstrom has not yet identified the officer, but confirmed he is on paid leave during the investigation.

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More than 100 people marched to Grand Rapids City Hall before a City Commission meeting Tuesday night, chanting ‘Black lives matter’ and ‘No justice, no peace.’

On Wednesday, several hundred protesters gathered outside the Grand Rapids Police Department following the release of the videos with some cursing and shouting from behind barricades.

The group demanded that officials make public the name of the officer in the shooting.

Some businesses cut their hours short Wednesday, closing early. Some boarded up windows. But the demonstration remained non-violent with protesters demanding justice for Lyoya and other Black lives lost in shootings involving police.

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