GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Family, friends and supporters of Patrick Lyoya, the 26-year-old Congolese man who was shot and killed by a former officer with the Grand Rapids Police Department, held a rally Thursday in his honor.
They said their goal was to keep Lyoya’s death, and the case against ex-GRPD officer Christopher Schurr, in the public eye.
HAPPENING NOW: March begins for Patrick Lyoya around downtown GR. Attorney Ben Crump joins the family and community members on the march.
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) August 31, 2023
Lyoya was shot and killed in April 2022 during a traffic stop.
Ex GRPD Officer schurr charged with 2nd degree murder // @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/YNP6okEiGI
Schurr was charged with second-degree murder for Lyoya’s death in April 2022.
FOX 17 spoke with Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker who stated that oral arguments in the appeals case are scheduled for Wednesday, September 6.
Meanwhile, the Lyoya family said they've grown upset waiting for the criminal trial to start. The delay of the trial is one of the reasons they and organizers held Thursday’s rally.
“Today [Thursday], we’re basically bringing awareness to Patrick Lyoya. There’s been a lot of talk of Christopher Schurr, and I think we’re forgetting that Christopher Schurr is not the victim. Patrick is. His family is. His children are,” Erykai Cage, Breonna Taylor’s cousin, told FOX 17. “So, that’s what we want…we want awareness to Patrick.”
The Lyoya family filed a lawsuit against Schurr and the city of Grand Rapids.
Just days ago, a judge dismissed the city from the suit, stating in part, “the complaint fails to identify any connection between the lack of training and Schurr’s specific use of force on Patrick.”
Click here for more coverage on the shooting death of Patrick Lyoya.
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CORRECTION - Previous versions of this article mistakenly put the date for oral arguments to begin in the appeals regarding charges against Christopher Schurr as August 6. They begin September 6. FOX 17 apologizes for any inconvenience this may have created.
