Video Shows Struggle Before Grand Rapids Officer Fatally Shoots Patrick Lyoya

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT/AP) — A Grand Rapids police officer struggled with a Black man before fatally shooting him from behind while the motorist was on the ground, according to videos of the April 4 shooting released Wednesday.

Patrick Lyoya, 26, was shot outside a house in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The white officer repeatedly demanded that Lyoya "let go" of the officer's Taser. At one point, he said, "drop the Taser!"

Police Chief Eric Winstrom released four videos, including cellphone footage recorded by a passenger in the car driven by Lyoya on the 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 chief in March.

Video shows Lyoya running from the scene after an officer stopped him for driving with a license plate that didn't belong to the vehicle. They struggled on the front lawn of a few homes in a Grand Rapids neighborhood while Lyoya's passenger got out and watched.

City Manager Mark Washington warned that the videos would lead to "expressions of shock, of anger and of pain."

The chief declined to release the officer's name.

"I'm going to treat the officer like I would anybody else," Winstrom said. "We don't name suspects. If the officer is charged with a crime we will name him at that time."

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."

Winstrom last week said he met Lyoya's father, Peter Lyoya, and that they both cried.

"I get it as a father. ... It's just heart-wrenching," the chief told WOOD-TV.

Kent County's chief medical examiner, Dr. Stephen Cohle, said he completed the autopsy on the day of Lyoya's death, but that toxicology results haven't been completed. He said the full report would not be released until state police complete an investigation.

"This is the standard operating procedure," Cohle said.

As in many U.S. cities, Grand Rapids police have been occasionally criticized over the use of force, particularly against Black people, who make up 18% of the population.

In November, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the practice of photographing and fingerprinting people who were never charged with a crime. Grand Rapids said the policy changed in 2015.

A downtown street has been designated Breonna Taylor Way, named for the Black woman and Grand Rapids native who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, during a botched drug raid in 2020.

A statement from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reads:

"The Lieutenant Governor and I spoke with Patrick's family and our hearts are with them and the Grand Rapids community who are dealing with unimaginable pain and loss. Patrick was 26. He arrived in the United States as a refugee with his family fleeing violence. He had his whole life ahead of him. Patrick was a son, a dad of two young daughters, and an older brother to his five siblings. 

"The Michigan State Police will conduct a transparent, independent investigation of the shooting.  Then, prosecutors must consider all the evidence, follow the law, and take appropriate action on charges. Justice is foundational to safety, and without justice, we are all less safe. 

"Patrick's father asked me to convey his hope that any demonstrations in his son's honor remain peaceful, and as Governor I share this view. We must come together and build a future where Black Michiganders are afforded equal rights, dignity, and safety in our communities. I will never stop fighting to make Michigan a more equitable and just state."

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist also issued the following statement:

"Governor Whitmer and I spoke to Patrick Lyoya's family. They are feeling the deep pain that too many have felt, a terrible loss in a moment that feels all too sickeningly familiar. His father Peter described his son as a generous and caring man whom he wants to be remembered peacefully. Patrick was a loving father, a loyal friend, and a proud member of the Grand Rapids community who enjoyed sharing fellowship and culture with those around him.  

"I am heartbroken by what we all have witnessed as a father, public servant, and a Black man. People are frustrated and hurting—searching for answers. Black people in Grand Rapids, in Michigan, and across the country are mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted from generations of struggle. Yet we press on. When we demonstrate and make our voices heard, we must do so in a way that lifts our call for justice beyond the deepening the pain of this community. We must never cease our efforts to reverse inequities, create systemic change, and guarantee justice for communities of color. We must recommit ourselves, through our words and deeds, to working together to build a more perfect union and a Michigan with equality and justice for all, where every interaction within our community, especially those with law enforcement, end with everyone able to return home to their families without harm. 

"It is critical now to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation to achieve justice, deliver accountability, and understand what happened, for Patrick Lyoya's family as expeditiously as possible."

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