The Michigan police officer charged with second-degree homicide within the April taking pictures dying of Patrick Lyoya has been fired, Grand Rapids officers stated Wednesday.
Christopher Schurr, a seven-year veteran of the Grand Rapids Police Division, was once fired Friday following a advice by means of the police leader and hard work members of the family workplace, town supervisor Mark Washington stated in a observation.
“Because of the on-going prison topic and the possibility of civil litigation, I can no longer be offering any further remark regarding Mr. Schurr at the moment,” Washington stated.
Schurr’s termination, efficient June 10, got here in the future after Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker charged Schurr with homicide in Lyoya’s killing.
Schurr were on administrative go away because the taking pictures.
An lawyer for Lyoya’s circle of relatives stated the firing was once past due.
“It’s about time! The Town of Grand Rapids will have to have fired Christopher Schurr at the day of the taking pictures, however as an alternative, paid him for 2 months and waited for the Kent County prosecutor to make the verdict for them,” lawyer Ven Johnson advised HuffPost in a observation Thursday. “Any police officer who makes use of over the top, useless, and unlawful fatal pressure will have to all the time be terminated straight away. That is one thing that the Lyoya circle of relatives has asked because the day of the taking pictures.”
Lyoya, a Black guy, was once shot behind his head by means of Schurr, who’s white, following an April 4 site visitors forestall. Government stated Schurr spotted the registration number plate didn’t fit the car.
Police frame digicam photos confirmed Schurr asking Lyoya, 26, for his motive force’s license. That’s when issues became bodily.
Lyoya tried to run away, however Schurr stopped him and compelled the battle to the bottom. Schurr tried to surprise Lyoya with a stun gun, however Lyoya grabbed it, government stated.
Grand Rapids police Leader Eric Winstrom stated the pair struggled over the stun gun for round 90 seconds, right through which the tool was once deployed two times with out making touch.
The officer’s frame digicam photos stopped running at this level, police stated. Mobile phone video taken by means of a passenger in Lyoya’s automotive captured Schurr pronouncing “Let pass of the Taser” sooner than achieving for his gun and taking pictures Lyoya behind his head whilst on most sensible of him.
The Grand Rapids Police Officials Affiliation, the union representing town law enforcement officials, is backing Schurr, pronouncing law enforcement officials have the prison proper to give protection to themselves.
Schurr’s protection lawyer declined to remark at the termination.
