Christopher Schurr testifies in trial over Lyoya shooting, says he feared for his life

Yahoo

02-05-2025

GRAND RAPIDS — Christopher Schurr, the former police officer charged with second-degree murder over the shooting of Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids in 2022, spoke publicly about it for the first time since Lyoya's death when he took the stand May 2 to testify in his own defense.
Schurr told the jury in Kent County's 17th Circuit Court he was fearful for his life after a physical struggle with Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant who was 26 at the time of his death. He said Lyoya had attempted to grab his Taser.
'I believe if I didn't do what I did when I did it, I wouldn't be here today," he said. Toward the end of Schurr's direct testimony, he wiped his eyes and took deep breaths.
Friday marked the fifth day of the trial. Schurr, now 34, was a Grand Rapids police officer when he tried to pull over Lyoya for a traffic stop due to the license plate not matching Lyoya's vehicle on April 4, 2022. Lyoya attempted to run away from Schurr, who chased after him and tackled him on a nearby front lawn. Schurr attempted to use a Taser on Lyoya but missed. As the two struggled, Lyoya attempted to grab the Taser, footage released by the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) and played in court shows. Just before Schurr fired his gun, he yelled, 'Let go of the Taser,' footage shows.
Schurr testified he believed, based on his training and based on how Lyoya attempted to get away from him as he pursued him, that if Lyoya had gained possession of the Taser, he would have deployed it on Schurr.
'I shot him because I believed he was going to use it on me," Schurr said.
Schurr did not have to testify in his own defense. "I feel like it's important to get my side of the story out," he said.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, who charged Schurr in June 2022, has argued Schurr used excessive force. Becker, throughout the trial, has noted both the Taser's cartridges were deployed, meaning that its effects could only be used in a "drive stun" manner, where the end of the Taser is pressed up against a person. Prosecutors argued that Lyoya would not have known how to perform a drive stun without training.
Schurr testified his training, both with the GRPD and in a police academy prior to joining the department in 2015, indicated that being disarmed of a weapon meant a subject could deploy it against the officer. Schurr said he feared Lyoya would have access to his firearm if the officer was incapacitated by the Taser.
Schurr was fired from the department shortly after being charged in June 2022. If convicted of second-degree murder, he faces up to life in prison.
Defense attorneys have argued Schurr was acting in self-defense. Throughout the trial, the defense has called several current and retired GRPD officers to testify on how officers are trained. Defense witnesses have testified Schurr acted within his training when he shot Lyoya.
'It was reasonable. A reasonable officer could perform in the same way in that situation," GRPD Capt. David Siver testified April 30.
Ben Crump, an attorney representing the Lyoya family in a separate civil lawsuit against Schurr, told media after Schurr's testimony that Lyoya was attempting to get away from the officer, and that Schurr lacked justification in shooting Lyoya.
"We're praying for justice. The family believes that nothing justifies him shooting Patrick Lyoya in the back of his head," Crump said, standing with members of the Lyoya family. "It, at most, was a traffic stop. That should not equal a death sentence."
Schurr was on the stand for close to three hours. Circuit Judge Christina Mims, who is presiding over the trial, has allowed the jury to submit questions for witnesses. Jurors questioned Schurr on GRPD policy, including if Schurr would have been justified in deploying his Taser as soon as Lyoya tried running away, rather than during the physical struggle. Schurr testified he did not want to deploy the Taser while Lyoya was running because he could have fallen on concrete and suffered injury.
Testimony continues Friday afternoon. Outside the courthouse in downtown Grand Rapids, a handful of demonstrators gathered. Some carried thin blue line flags, which have become a common symbol of support for law enforcement. Others held signs calling for justice for Lyoya, and one waved a flag with "BLM" on it, a likely nod to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Lyoya's death sparked protests over police brutality and racial injustice in Grand Rapids. Following the shooting, the GRPD instituted new policies, including de-escalation training and emphasizing the "sanctity of life."
Contact Arpan Lobo: [e-mail]
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ex-officer Schurr testifies in murder trial over Lyoya shooting