On April 4, 2022, 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was shot in the back of the head and killed during a confrontation with Grand Rapids Police Officer Christopher Schurr following a traffic stop. The stop began about 8 a.m. after Schurr said the license plate did not match the vehicle. Lyoya ran, a physical struggle followed on a residential front lawn, and Schurr deployed his Taser twice without it making contact. While Lyoya was face down on the ground, Schurr produced his firearm and fired one shot into the back of Lyoya’s head. An autopsy confirmed death by gunshot to the back of the head and reported a blood-alcohol level of 0.29.

The Michigan State Police investigated and on June 9, 2022, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker charged Schurr with one count of second-degree murder. Schurr surrendered, was released on $100,000 bond, and was suspended without pay while termination proceedings began. His criminal trial in spring 2025 ended in a mistrial on May 8, 2025; two weeks later the prosecutor announced he would not seek a retrial and the murder charge was dropped. The Lyoya family has filed a civil lawsuit against Schurr with a trial scheduled for October 2026.

Are there witnesses, neighbors, or anyone with additional information about the traffic stop or the struggle who can help clarify what happened?