Michigan Police Confirm Officer Who Shooted Dead Black Man, Victim's Family Asks To Be Fired And Criminalized

Illustrated. (Pixabay / Alexas_Fotos)

JAKARTA - Michigan Police have identified Christopher Schurr as the police officer who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old black man, during a traffic check in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States earlier this month, on Monday.

"For the sake of transparency, to reduce ongoing speculation, and to avoid further confusion, I can confirm the publicly available name, Christopher Schurr, as the officer involved in the April 4 shooting," Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said. 26 April.

The statement comes nearly two weeks after law enforcement made video footage of the killing publicly available. Winstrom added that the department would release more information about the incident later this week.

Schurr is currently on administrative leave, as Michigan State Police investigates whether he should face criminal charges. The department did not say how long he had served in the police force, although local media MLive reported he had worked in the department for seven years.

Lyoya's family asked the authorities to fire the officer from the police force and file criminal charges against him.

Lyoya, who was driving on April 4, was stopped by officers who said the license plate and vehicle used did not match, according to the released video.

Video shows Lyoya stepping out of the car and looking flustered as the police repeatedly ask for his driver's license, ordering him to get back in the vehicle.

Lyoya then tries to leave when officers try to handcuff her. After a brief chase, the two men wrestled in the courtyard, at one point wrestling with the officer's stun gun.

Schurr then drew his gun while on top of Lyoya and fired one shot in the back of his head, video footage shows.

A forensic pathologist who performed an independent autopsy on Lyoya said he was shot once by a gun held to the back of his head.

The death of Lyoya, a Congolese refugee, sparked protests in Grand Rapids by activists who said it was the latest example of police violence against black youth.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump came to represent the Lyoya family. Meanwhile civil rights activist Al Sharpton delivered a speech for Lyoya on Friday.

"It is now scientific evidence of this tragic murder that his family believes was an execution," Crump said of the autopsy.