Patrick Lyoya
Date: 4/4/2022 Location: Grand Rapids, MI FACTORS (1,2,8,12,14,15,19)
Name: Patrick Lyoya
Criminal History/Involved: Yes, Lyoya was convicted in 2017 for assaulting a pregnant woman. / Yes, Lyoya was driving a vehicle with a plate that did not match and ran when the officer attempted to arrest him.
Mental Illness: Unknown
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/26
Officer(s) involved: Unnamed Grand Rapids Police Officer
What prompted the initial contact with police? At around 8:10 a.m. on April 4, 2022, a Grand Rapids Police Officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Patrick Lyoya.
Actions taken by subject towards police: Lyoya exited his vehicle as the officer approached it and then refused to comply with the officer’s lawful orders to stay in his vehicle. Lyoya also apparently refused the officer’s lawful orders to produce his driver’s license and started walking away. When the officer then tried to gain control over Lyoya to handcuff him, Lyoya pushed the officer away and took off running.
Reactions by the police: The officer broadcast over the radio about the foot pursuit and chased Lyoya, quickly catching up to him and then engaging in a physical struggle to arrest Lyoya. Video of the incident shows the officer and Lyoya’s fight goes to the ground as the officer is repeatedly heard yelling for Lyoya to “Stop!” and “Get your hands behind your back!” Lyoya can be seen getting up to his feet and the officer is heard saying “stop resisting!” Video then shows the officer deploy his taser but Lyoya manages to grab the taser and point it away from himself as you hear the officer telling him to “let go of the taser!” The video goes black and the officer and Lyoya again end up on the ground, struggling over the taser. After again commanding Lyoya to “let go of the taser” as the officer was on top of Lyoya, the officer shoots Lyoya once in the head killing him.
Outcome of investigation into the fatal police incident: Michigan State Police are investigating the incident.
What could the subject have done that day to still be alive today? Lyoya could still be alive if he: did not drive a vehicle with a plate that did not match the registration; complied during the traffic stop and stayed in his car; complied with the officer and been arrested rather than run from him; complied with the officer instead of physically struggling against him; not grabbed hold of and fought the officer for control of the taser.
Justified Use of Deadly Force? YES, the officer was alone and exhausted, having unsuccessfully gone up the use of force continuum only to end up in a life and death struggle with a violent suspect for control of his taser. Fearing for his life if the suspect successfully wrested away the taser from him and used it against him, the officer justifiably used deadly force.
