GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 13, 2022 — At 3 p.m. today, officials from the Grand Rapids Police Department released the body-cam footage of the officer involved in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, 26, on April 4. After pulling over Lyoya for a license plate issue, the video shows the police officer, who has not yet been named, chasing a fleeing, unarmed Lyoya down and, after a prolonged struggle, fatally shooting him. State Rep. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) issued the following statement in response:
“No parent should have to bury their child after a simple traffic stop. I offer my deepest heartfelt condolences, and continued action on responsible reforms, to the family of Patrick Lyoya as they grieve the loss of their son. Additionally, I stand in sorrow with our community as we mourn this loss of life and construct our path forward following this tragedy. I pray for our city leaders as they navigate and discern the next right thing to do in response.
“Together, we continue to face the work of building a more perfect justice system — one that protects our citizens, as well as those who put their lives on the line every day in service to our community. Here in Lansing, we have been working to eliminate tragedies like this. The Legislature has passed bills that would mandate de-escalation and implicit bias training for our police forces. We have invested in mental health screenings and resources for our officers so they can deliver their top performance in moments of crisis. We passed legislation that would invest in the retention of police officers so experienced officers are on our streets. Finally, I am proud to co-sponsor the “Justice for All” package of bills that were introduced by my colleagues earlier this year — a package of bills that would ban no-knock warrants, end qualified immunity, and outline reporting requirements when there is misconduct, or when excessive force is used, including making those reports available to the public.
“We must work together to pursue the promise of “liberty and justice for all.” Citizens interested in advocating for common-sense reforms are welcome to contact our office for details and directions to further GR’s voice on these issues in Lansing. The eyes of the nation are on Grand Rapids. Let us deliver our best selves to this moment. This is the best way to honor the precious life of Mr. Lyoya and change systems to better serve us.”