Michigan police released footage of a black man shot in the back of the head by a white cop during a battle for a police officer’s camp after the movement was stopped, sparking calls for justice as the family’s top lawyer claims it was “unnecessary, over-used. force used ‘.
Amid public outrage over transparency, police released footage Wednesday showing Patrick Lioja, 26, face down on the ground while fatally shot by a police officer in Grand Rapids on April 4th.
Recent footage also shows the moments that led to the shooting, including a traffic jam due to suspicions about Lioya’s registration number, which led to a brief pursuit and fight with the cop’s tazer.
It is not clear from any of the videos whether or when Lioya tried to grab the cop’s electric shock, but it is heard that the cop shouted to release the device, which was activated twice but did not hit anyone, officials said.
Lioja’s family has retained the famous civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who has been dubbed “the Attorney General of Black America”, and also represents the families of George Floyd, Breona Taylor, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Aubrey and Trayvon Martin. He called for the employee to be fired and tried.
“The video clearly shows that this was an unnecessary, excessive and fatal use of force against an unarmed black man who was confused by the meeting and horrified for his life,” Crump said in a statement.
“It should be noted that Patrick has never used violence against this police officer, although the police officer has used violence against him in several cases for what is a traffic violation,” he added.
Grand Rapids police officers have placed the officer, a seven-year-old veteran whose name has not been made public, on administrative leave and have asked Michigan police to investigate the shooting.
Kent County Chief Physician Dr. Stephen Cole said he had completed the autopsy, but toxicology tests were not complete.
Kent County prosecutors told CNN on Wednesday that they would decide on possible criminal charges after the Michigan State Police investigation is completed.
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Patrick Lioya, 26, was lying face down when he was fatally shot in the back of the head by a white police officer in front of a house in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on April 4.
Michigan police have released footage of the shooting and the events that led to it, including a traffic stop that led to a brief harassment and fight with the cop’s camp.
The videos show Lioja getting out of the car on a rainy street, seemingly confused and asking “what did I do?” because the policeman repeatedly asked for a driver’s license and ordered him to return to the car
The Death of Patrick Lioja Shooting: A Chronology of Events
MONDAY, APRIL 4
At around 8 am, a Grand Rapids police officer initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Griggs and Nelson SE.
The employee repeatedly asked his seemingly confused Patrick Lioya for his driver’s license and ordered him to return to the car.
Lioja opens the driver’s door and talks to her passenger.
He then closes his door, turns his back on the policeman, and seems to walk away.
The policeman is heard saying “No, no, no, stop, stop” and puts his hands on Lioya’s shoulder, who then resists and runs away.
Lioya and the cop fight in front of several houses while Lioja’s companion goes out and watches.
The officer repeatedly ordered Lioja to ‘release’ his stun gun, insisting at one point: ‘Throw the stun gun!’
At that moment, the policeman’s body camera suddenly turned off.
But additional videos – from a neighbor’s bell security system, a police camera in the police car and a random person’s mobile phone – capture different angles of the incident.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said the battle for Taser lasted about 90 seconds.
At the last moment, the officer was on top of Lioya, sometimes kneeling on his back to subdue him.
Audio from the camera of the neighbor’s bell caught the sound of the policeman shooting Lioja in the back of the head.
SUNDAY, APRIL 10
National civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who represented the families of Traven Martin, Breona Taylor and Ahmad Arbury, continues to call for justice.
TUESDAY, APRIL 12
Protesters from “Justice for Patrick Lioya” marched in the center of Grand Rapids for a meeting of the city commission.
They asked the city authorities to disclose the name of the employee and hold them accountable.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom released four videos, including critical footage of the shooting, recorded on a random person’s cell phone, a neighbor’s camera and a police officer’s camera.
Citing the need for transparency, the city’s new police chief, Eric Winstrom, released four videos on Wednesday, including critical footage of the shooting, recorded by a passenger in Lioja’s car that rainy morning.
“I see it as a tragedy. … It was a progression of sadness for me, “said Winstrom, a former high-ranking Chicago police commander who became head of Grand Rapids in March. The city of about 200,000 people is about 150 miles northwest of Detroit.
The videos, released by police on Wednesday, were taken from the dashboard of the police patrol car, the camera he was carrying and the neighbor’s surveillance camera.
Stopping was tense from the start.
Lioja, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was seen getting out of a car on a rainy street on Griegs and Nelson SE, seemingly confused and asking “What did I do?” As the officer repeatedly asked for a driver’s license and ordered him back in the car.
“I’m stopping you, do you have a book?” Do you have a driver’s license, do you speak English? ‘ he asks.
Lioya confirms that she speaks English, opens the driver’s door and talks to her passenger.
He then closes his door, turns his back on the policeman, and seems to walk away.
“No, no, no, stop,” the policeman is heard saying, placing his hands on Lioja’s shoulder.
Lioya is seen resisting the officer and then starts running as the officer knocks him to the ground.
Lioya and the cop fight in front of several houses while Lioja’s companion goes out and watches.
The officer repeatedly ordered Lioja to ‘release’ his stun gun, insisting at one point: ‘Throw the stun gun!’
It is not clear from any of the videos whether or when Lioya tried to grab the cop’s electric shock, but it is heard that the cop shouted to release the device, which was activated twice but did not hit anyone, officials said.
At that moment, the policeman’s body camera suddenly turned off.
Chief Winstrom explained that it took three seconds to press the button to turn off the body’s camera, and he believed that the pressure from Lioja’s body had caused the deactivation.
But additional videos – from the security system of the neighbor’s bell, the dashboard in the policeman’s car and a random person’s mobile phone – capture different angles of the incident.
Winstrom said the battle for Taser lasted about 90 seconds. At the last moment, the officer was on top of Lioya, sometimes kneeling on his back to subdue him.
“From my point of view in the video, Taser was deployed twice. “Taser has not made contact,” Winstrom told reporters. “And Mr. Lioya was shot in the head. However, this is the only information I have.
Lioya and the cop fight in front of several houses while Lioja’s companion goes out and watches.
The officer repeatedly ordered Lioja to ‘release’ his stun gun, insisting at one point: ‘Throw the stun gun!’
Lioya seems to comply, but then closes the door on the driver’s side and tries to leave, resisting police officers who try to handcuff him.
The video shows Leia fleeing from the police officer who stopped him for driving with a registration number that is not on the vehicle. They fight in front of several houses while Lioya’s passenger comes out and watches
It is not clear from any of the videos whether or when Lioya tried to grab the cop’s electric shock, but it is heard that the cop shouted to release the device, which was activated twice but did not hit anyone, officials said.
At that moment, the policeman’s body camera suddenly turned off.
Chief Winstrom explained that it took three seconds to press the button to turn off the body’s camera, and he believed that the pressure from Lioja’s body had caused the deactivation.
But additional videos – from the security system of the neighbor’s bell, the dashboard in the policeman’s car and a random person’s mobile phone – capture different angles of the incident.
Winstrom said the battle for Taser lasted about 90 seconds. At the last moment, the officer was on top of Lioya, sometimes kneeling on his back to subdue him.
“From my point of view in the video, Taser was deployed twice. “Taser has not made contact,” Winstrom told reporters. “And Mr. Lioya was shot in the head. However, this is the only information I have.
Audio from the neighborhood home surveillance camera captured the sound of a police officer shooting Lioja in the back of the head.
Chief Winstrom has not yet identified the employee, but confirmed that he was on paid leave during the investigation.
“I’ve been from Chicago for the last 20 years, I’ve dealt with a lot of police shootings myself, so I have a lot of experience in that,” the chief said. I hoped I would never have to use that experience here.
Prosecutor Chris Becker, who will decide whether the charges are justified, objected to the release, but said Winstrom could act alone.
But Becker said the public should not expect a quick solution.
“Although the videos released today are important evidence, they are not all evidence,” he said.
The video shows Lioja, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the officer fighting for the cop’s taser shortly before Lioja was shot.
The white officer repeatedly ordered Lioya to “release” her taser, insisting at one point: “Throw …
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