GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The parents of Patrick Lyoya voiced their deep anguish after Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced last week he would not retry former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr in their son’s death.
“His decision really broke me down, and my heart is still bleeding right now,” said Dorcas Lyoya, Patrick’s mother, speaking through an interpreter.
A mistrial was declared earlier this month when jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict on the second-degree murder charge against Schurr.
Becker explained his decision not to pursue a retrial, stating he did not believe a second trial would yield a different outcome.
Ven Johnson, the attorney representing the Lyoya family, expressed gratitude to Becker for initially filing charges but maintained his position on the shooting’s unjustified nature.
“Schurr absolutely committed homicide. He killed Patrick Lyoya unnecessarily when he put a bullet in the back of his head, when he didn’t have to, to save his own life,” Johnson stated.
The case stems from an April 2022 traffic stop that turned fatal when Schurr shot the Congolese immigrant in the back of the head following a struggle over the officer’s Taser.
The incident sparked protests in Grand Rapids and renewed calls for police accountability.
Peter Lyoya, Patrick’s father, pointed to broader systemic issues in the justice system.
“We (are) Black in this country. We are not important to the justice,” he said through an interpreter.
Schurr’s attorney, Matthew Borgula, has said that a retrial wouldn’t good for anybody.
The family continues to pursue justice through a civil lawsuit filed against Schurr in federal court.
“I will keep fighting for the justice for my son,” Peter Lyoya said.
