Topline
Patrick Lyoya was shot once in the back of the head, lawyers for his family said Tuesday, citing an independent autopsy set up by their legal team that would appear to confirm what was shown on video released by police of a Grand Rapids, Michigan, police officer shooting the 26-year-old Black man—though the state’s official autopsy has not been released.
Key Facts
Attorney Ben Crump said during a press conference Lyoya died as a result of a single gunshot wound, with the entrance wound being in the back of the head, according to an independent autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Werner Spitz.
Crump read from the autopsy report that Lyoya was “conscious and aware of the fact a gun was being held to the back of his head,” and that his death was instantaneous when the officer fired the gun—adding that Lyoya’s family believes the killing was “an execution.”
The state’s official autopsy report has not been made available to the public, and the Kent County Medical Examiner’s Office has said it is waiting to release the report until toxicology results come in, which can take up to 60 days.
Another attorney for Lyoya’s family, Ven Johnson, said the attorneys wanted an independent autopsy because they didn’t know anything except that Lyoya died of a gunshot wound, and added Spitz did not conduct a toxicology exam.
A representative for Johnson said in a statement to Forbes Lyoya’s legal team funded the autopsy.
Key Background
The Grand Rapids Police Department released video footage of the April 4 incident last week, where an unnamed officer can be heard saying he pulled Lyoya, an immigrant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, over for a traffic stop because the license plate was not registered to the vehicle. Lyoya got out of the car as the officer approached Lyoya’s vehicle, leading the officer to ask Lyoya several questions, including to see his license and if he spoke English, according to the video footage. A short foot chase began after, with Lyoya running from the car and struggling over a Taser the officer attempted to deploy, before the officer knelt on Lyoya’s back with his knee, and shot him in the head. Hundreds of protesters marched through the city in the days prior to and after police releasing the footage of the shooting, the Associated Press reports, demanding for police to identify the officer in the shooting.
What To Watch For
If Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker files any charges against the officer. Becker had previously asked police agencies to refrain from releasing evidence to maintain the “integrity of the investigation.” Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom, who began the position in March, said during a press conference last week the footage would normally be released after the Michigan State Police finishes their investigation, but he wanted to be as transparent as possible. Becker asked for the public’s patience while his office completed its investigation in a statement last week, adding his office is “working to achieve its goal of a just result for all involved.”
Surprising Fact
Dr. Spitz, 95, has worked on several high-profile cases, including assisting the investigations into the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy, as well as testifying in the trials of O.J. Simpson and Casey Anthony.
Further Reading
Here’s What We Know About The Fatal Police Shooting Of Patrick Lyoya In Grand Rapids (Forbes)
