Michigan police officer Christopher Shurr is officially facing second-degree murder charges for executing Patrick Lyoya.
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Charges Filed
On Thursday, Kent County’s prosecuting attorney, Christopher Becker, officially charged Officer Christopher Schurr with second-degree murder.
Ven Johnson, working as a lawyer for the Lyoya family, said:
“What this family hopes for is that more sooner than later — like now, today — that police officers understand that what they got away with in the past they can’t get away with anymore.”
Becker declined calls from activists to hand the investigation over to an outside prosecutor. He also refused to share any details about his decision. The Michigan-based prosecuting attorney held back from finalizing his decisions until he saw a forensic report on Officer Schurr’s Taser.
Details of the report are not public.
“Obviously I wouldn’t charge it if I didn’t think I could prove it,” Mr. Becker said.
“Schurr surrendered to the authorities on Thursday,” said Becker, “and is likely to be arraigned on Friday.
Officer Christopher Schurr worked in law enforcement for seven years. Now, he could be facing life if he is convicted of second-degree murder.
Lyoya’s father, Peter, learned the news about the charges while on a phone call with the prosecutor before the announcement.
“We don’t really hope for what’s coming ahead,” Peter Lyoya said. “We have lost Patrick. Patrick is not coming back. Our hearts are still broken.”
Becker also mentioned that he consulted outside use-of-force experts before charging Schurr and how he was aware of the intense public interest in the case. He added:
“The general consensus is, I think, that there’s a huge amount of community pressure that thinks I should charge him — and if I don’t charge, something’s going to happen. There’s a lot of people that think this should not be charged, and so I’m very mindful of that.”
After the incident, city officials released Officer Shurr’s records that show dozens of praises. It also cited two minor issues that brought discipline.
Patrick Lyoya’s Killer Cop Named As Christopher Schurr “In The Interest Of Transparency”
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom publicly named the white police officer who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya. They later released Schurr in the “interest of transparency.”
“In the interest of transparency, to reduce ongoing speculation, and to avoid any further confusion, I am confirming the name already publicly circulating — Christopher Schurr — as the officer involved in the April 4 officer-involved shooting,” Winstrom said in a statement.
