GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Fraternal Order of Police for Michigan said the deadlocked jury shows how complex the case against former police officer Christopher Schurr was.
“This result reflects the reality that reasonable people can and do disagree when evaluating an officer’s actions under extreme pressure,” the fraternal order said in a statement Thursday.
The fraternal order said it continues to stand by Schurr.
The 12 jurors could not reach agree on guilt in the case, causing the judge to declare a mistrial Thursday.
“Officer Schurr responded according to his training during a rapidly escalating encounter. The inability of the jury to reach a unanimous decision underscores the uncertainty and controversy surrounding the charges brought against him.”
It also continued its long-held belief that the decision by prosecutors to charge Schurr in this case was driven by public pressure and not by a fair assessment of the case.
“These types of politically charged prosecutions risk discouraging proactive policing and jeopardize public and officer safety alike,” the statement said.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, who filed the second-degree murder charge against Schurr in June 2022, has claimed the former officer's actions were not justified as his fear was not reasonable.
The prosecution may now retry the case with a new jury — a potential monthslong process — dismiss the charges or enter into a plea agreement with the defendant.
Shooting death of Patrick Lyoya
'We are in pain': Lyoya family vows to keep fighting after mistrial declared
Schurr fatally shot Lyoya, a 26-year-old black man, in the back of the head as the two struggled over his taser during an April 2022 traffic stop.
The shooting, filmed on a cell phone by a passenger in the car Lyoya was driving, sparked protests in Grand Rapids and preceded policy changes on use of force within the city's police department.
Click here for more coverage on the shooting death of Patrick Lyoya.
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