A black man, face down, was fatally shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer, culminating in violence, traffic jams, a stun chase and a fight over a stunning gun, according to videos of the April 4 incident released Wednesday.
Patrick Lioja, 26, was killed in front of a house in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The white officer repeatedly ordered Lioya to “release” his stun gun, at one point insisting, “Throw the stun gun!”
Citing the need for transparency, the city’s new police chief, Eric Winstrom, released four videos, including critical footage of the shooting, recorded by a passenger in Lioja’s car that rainy morning.
“I see this as a tragedy … It was a progression of sadness for me,” said Winstrom, a former high-ranking Chicago police commander who became chief of the Grand Rapids in March. The city of about 200,000 people is located about 240 kilometers northwest of Detroit.
The battle lasted 90 seconds
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 fought in front of several houses as Lioja’s companion went out and watched.
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 video point of view, the Taser has been used twice. “Taser has not made contact,” Winstrom told reporters. “And Mr. Loya was shot in the head. But that’s the only information I have.”
WATCH The video shows minutes before Lioja’s death:
Police have released videos of Patrick Lioya’s shooting
Police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have released several videos that appear to show Patrick Lioya’s deadly shooting from behind after a traffic stop. 1:22
State police are investigating the shooting. Kent County Chief Medical Officer Dr. Stephen Cole said he had completed the autopsy, but toxicology tests were not complete.
Stopping was tense from the start. The video shows Lioja, a Congolese, getting out of the car before the police officer approaches. He ordered Lioja back in the car, but the man refused.
The policeman asked him if he spoke English and asked for his driver’s license. The foot chase began soon after, a video shows.
Winstrom did not identify the officer, a seven-year veteran who 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 was hoping I would never have to use that experience here.”
A TV display shows a frame of Lioja’s video while stopping. (Grand Rapids Police Department)
Video from several sources
Video was collected from Lioja’s passenger, the policeman’s camera, the policeman’s patrol car and a doorbell. Prosecutor Chris Becker, who will decide whether the charges are justified, objected to the release, but said Winstrom could act alone.
Becker said the public should not expect a quick solution.
“While the videos released today are important evidence, they are not all evidence,” he said.
City manager Mark Washington warned that the videos would lead to “expressions of shock, anger and pain.” Some downtown companies closed their shop windows and concrete barricades surrounded police headquarters.
Lioya had two young daughters and five siblings, said Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who spoke with his family.
“He arrived in the United States as a refugee with his family, fleeing the violence. His whole life was ahead of him,” Whitmer said.
A television display shows footage of video evidence of a Grand Rapids police officer chasing Lioja. (Corey Morse / Grand Rapids Press / Associated Press)
The family to speak on Thursday
Prominent civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, speaking on behalf of Lioja’s family, on Wednesday called for the firing officer to be fired and prosecuted.
“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.
Crump’s family and Lioya are expected to hold a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
More than 100 people marched to Grand Rapids City Hall ahead of Tuesday night’s City Commission meeting, chanting “Black Life Matters” and “No Justice, No Peace.”
On Wednesday, several hundred protesters gathered in front of the Grand Rapids Police Department after the videos were released with curses and shouts behind the barricades. The group asked officials to make public the name of the officer involved in the shooting.
Last week, Winstrom said he had met Lioja’s father, Peter Lioja, and that they were both crying.
“I understand him as a father … It’s just heartbreaking,” said the WOOD-TV boss.
As in many cities in the United States, Grand Rapids police have occasionally been criticized for using force, especially against blacks, who make up 18 percent of the population.
In November, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the practice of taking and taking fingerprints of people who have never been charged with a crime. Grand Rapids said the policy changed in 2015.
A downtown street is designated Breonna Taylor Way, named after the black woman and local resident of Grand Rapids who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, during a failed drug attack in 2020.
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