From WPSDlocal.com…
A Grand Rapids police officer was charged Thursday with one count of second-degree murder in the death of Patrick Lyoya, who was shot in the back of the head during a struggle after an April traffic stop, a Michigan prosecutor said.
Lyoya, a Black man, was shot to death on April 4 by Officer Christopher Schurr, a White officer trying to arrest him after a traffic stop in a case that has drawn national attention. Lyoya’s final moments were captured in multiple videos later released to the public.
“This is not a message. This is just based on the facts and making a decision in this case,” Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Becker told reporters Thursday, referring to the charge.
Becker said he had spoken with Lyoya’s family and had sent them a letter in their native Swahili.
Ben Crump, an attorney for the Lyoya family, in a statement called the decision to file charges “a step in the right direction.”
“We are encouraged by attorney Christopher Becker’s decision to charge Christopher Schurr for the brutal killing of Patrick Lyoya, which we all witnessed when the video footage was released to the public,” Crump said.
“Officer Schurr,” he added, “must be held accountable for his decision to pursue an unarmed Patrick, ultimately shooting him in the back of the head and killing him — for nothing more than a traffic stop.”
In a statement, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel commended Becker and the state police for “the exhaustive review conducted these last two months.”
“We must now respect the judicial process and allow the facts of the case to be presented in court,” he added.
Becker said Schurr has turned himself in and will likely be arraigned Friday.
Becker, responding to a question about the timing of the criminal charge, said he received the investigative report from the state police about eight days ago.
“Things take time, and I want to be, obviously, thorough. This is a major decision,” he said.
