Ex-MI Cop Stands Trial In Killing Of Patrick Lyoya

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Opening statements in the trial of a former Grand Rapids police officer who fatally shot a man in April 2022 were delivered Monday morning.

Former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr was charged with second-degree murder after police said he fatally shot 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya, who was on the ground.

Lyoya, a refugee from Congo, was stopped by Schurr on April 4 in Grand Rapids for a mismatched license plate on the car he was driving, according to police.

When Schurr asked for his driver's license, police said Lyoya took off running away from the officer. Schurr quickly captured him, and they began struggling on a front lawn in a Grand Rapids residential neighborhood while Lyoya’s passenger recorded the scene on a phone.

At one point during the struggle, Schurr was heard yelling "Let go of the Taser" and "Drop the Taser" while he had Lyoya pinned to the ground. Seconds later, police said he fatally shot Lyoya in the back of the head.

Police said the entire incident happened in five minutes, from 8:11 a.m. to 8:16 a.m.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said Schurr's use of deadly force against Lyoya was not immediately necessary, while defense lawyers claimed Schurr acted in self-defense.

Although Lyoya had wrestled a Taser away from Schurr, Becker said there still wasn't a clear and immediate threat to use deadly force. He also said Lyoya had no intent to hurt Schurr, nor did he have the ability or opportunity to do so.

"It's not an issue if the defendant had a right to arrest [Lyoya]," Becker said. "It's did he have a right to shoot him?"

Defense lawyer Mikayla Hamilton said Schurr did feel an immediate threat during the struggle, and said Schurr gave 29 commands, including "Drop the Taser" and "Let go of the Taser."

"He was forced to make a split-second decision. He didn't choose to take a life, he chose to save his own," Hamilton said.

If a jury finds Schurr guilty of second-degree murder, he faces up to life in prison. For that to happen, jurors must agree that Schurr had a reckless disregard for human life, or that he had the intent to cause serious bodily harm resulting in death.

Before the trial started, a group of people were seen waving flags in support of police officers in front of the courthouse. A large group of Lyoya's family was in attendance.