Police in Grand Rapids, Michigan released four videos Wednesday of a police officer shooting a black man face down with a shot to the back of the head after the two men got into a fight after a traffic stop. traffic.
The April 4 death of 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya has outraged members of his family and sparked protests in Grand Rapids by activists who say it represents the latest example of police violence against black youth.
Image of the brawl between the agent and Patrick Lyoya
Grand Rapids police have placed the officer, who has not been publicly identified, on administrative leave and have asked the Michigan State Police to investigate the shooting.
Kent County prosecutors told CNN Wednesday that they will make a decision on possible criminal charges once the investigation is complete.
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“Another black man has been killed by police, and the officer in this video must be held accountable,” the NAACP said in a written statement responding to the video. .
“President Biden, sign the police reform executive order now. While we fully understand that an executive order is not a substitute for meaningful legislation, we must do everything in our power to protect our community,” the NAACP said.
Image captured by the officer’s body camera moments before fatally shooting Patrick Lyoya
The videos released by police Wednesday were taken from the officer’s vehicle camera, his body camera, a recording made by the person who was with Lyoya in the vehicle and a neighbor’s surveillance camera.
In them, Lyoya can be seen getting out of the car on a rainy street, apparently confused and asking “what have I done?”, as the policeman repeatedly asks him for a driver’s license and orders him to get back inside the vehicle.
Lyoya appears to be complying, but then closes the driver’s side door and tries to walk away, resisting the officers’ attempts to handcuff him.
After a short foot chase, the two men get into a fight on the lawn, at one point grappling over the officer’s taser, then the officer shoots Lyoya.
The incident began after the officer detained Lyoya on suspicion related to his license plate.
Protests in Michigan against police violence
Lyoya, born in the Republic of Congo, had two young daughters and five brothers, said Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who spoke with his family. “He came to the United States as a refugee with his family fleeing violence. He had his whole life ahead of him,” said Whitmer, a Democrat.
Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking on behalf of Lyoya’s family, called Wednesday for the officer involved in the shooting to be fired and prosecuted. “The video clearly shows that this was an unnecessary, excessive and fatal use of force against an unarmed black male who was confused by the encounter and terrified for his life,” Crump said in a statement.
As in many US cities, Grand Rapids police have been criticized for their use of force, particularly against blacks, who make up 18% of the population.
Last November, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the practice of photographing and fingerprinting people who have never been charged with any crime. Grand Rapids said the policy changed in 2015.