VIDEO: Patrick Lyoya shot in head by Grand Rapids Police officer after fight over Taser
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Grand Rapids Police released graphic video on Wednesday that showed an officer and killing 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya after a traffic stop and scuffle that involved the officer's Taser.
Lyoya was killed by a police officer during a traffic stop in Grand Rapids, Mich. for a license plate issue on April 4. In the video, the unnamed officer told Lyoya that the plate didn't belong on the car and asked for his license.
Lyoya appeared confused and then started to run from the officer.
The police officer then chased him around the street and into the front yard of a neighboring home. The officer pulled his Taser first and fired it at least once. At some point during the fight, Lyoya got his hands on the Taser and the officer demanded he drop it several times.
In a cell phone video recorded by the passenger in Lyoya's car, the officer is seen on top of Lyoya as he is face down. The officer tells him to drop the Taser and reaches to his belt for his gun.
Lyoya tries to stand up with the officer on his back. That's when the officer pulls out his gun and fires it one time, hitting him in the upper back, neck, or head.
Police Chief Eric Winstrom said Lyoya was shot in the head.
The officer then sat on top of Lyoya's motionless body and demanded the witness get back.
Police released dashcam, bodycam, a doorbell camera, and the witness' cell phone video.
After the shooting, there have been calls for transparency and the release of video showing what happened.
"Every Black family lives in fear that a routine traffic stop will turn deadly," Attorney Ben Crump said in a statement posted on Twitter. "Patrick's fate is the nightmare we live with every day. It is essential that all video evidence be made public as soon as possible so that we can see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears what happened to Patrick. Full transparency is the only way to regain community trust."
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said the footage would be released by Friday. A statement posted this week said that the police department would present video Wednesday at 3 p.m. This will include video from a body worn camera, in-car camera, a cell phone, and a home surveillance system.
According to police, the video and audio haven't been altered, but there is some blurring to protect privacy.
"The video contains strong language as well as graphic images resulting in the loss of life," a statement from Winstrom read.
After the presentation, nine sources of video will be provided publicly.