Michigan officer charged with murder in Lyoya shooting

By JOHN FLESHER and ED WHITE
Associated Press

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan police officer who killed Patrick Lyoya with a shot to the back of the Black man’s head has been charged with second-degree murder. Prosecutor Chris Becker announced the charges Thursday against Grand Rapids Officer Christopher Schurr, who killed Lyoya following a chaotic traffic stop on April 4. The 26-year-old Lyoya was on the ground when he was killed. A bystander recorded the shooting on phone video. Schurr told Lyoya that he stopped his car because the license plate didn’t match the vehicle. Defense lawyers say Lyoya’s death was a tragedy but not murder. They say the officer feared for his safety.