Grand Rapids Police Release Video Footage Of Officer Fatally Shooting Patrick Lyoya
Police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, released video footage on Wednesday afternoon showing a police officer fatally shooting a Black man earlier in the month — a killing that has generated several protests in the city.
Patrick Lyoya, 26 years old and a father of two, was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop on April 4. Police have not identified the specific reasons for the stop, but indicated Lyoya’s license plate was not registered to the vehicle he was driving at the time.
The video shows the officer, who has not been named, pinning Lyoya to the ground, face down, and shooting him in the back of the head. In the 90 seconds leading up to the shooting, Lyoya is seen at various points struggling with the officer, attempting to run away, and at one point trying to block the officer’s Taser weapon from being deployed on him. It’s unclear if it hit Lyoya.
Lyoya was not armed with a weapon during the encounter.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom announced the footage’s release to the public during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
“I thank the public for their patience and understanding while waiting for the release of the video,” Winstrom said. “I intend to continue to be as forthright and transparent as possible during the ongoing Michigan State Police investigation, while maintaining my duty to protect the integrity of that investigation in the interests of justice and accountability.”
Lyoya’s family members said they viewed the footage of the shooting. They also dispute that police had any reason for engaging with the man, who they say had pulled over to a curb because his car was making noise.
The scenes unfold in four videos: the dashcam video from the officer’s cruiser, the officer’s bodycam footage, a home surveillance camera from a house across the street from the shooting, and from cellphone video recorded by a passenger in Lyoya’s car.
Only the cellphone video clearly shows the shooting; the officer’s body camera “deactivated” seconds before the shooting, according to police."
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