The Michigan cop who shot a man in the back of the head during a struggle after pulling him over for an unregistered license plate was charged with one count of second-degree murder Thursday.
Grand Rapids Police Department Officer Christopher Schurr shot and killed Patrick Lyoya on April 4 in an incident captured on both witness and body cam video that sparked protests.
Lyoya, 26, an immigrant from the Democratic Republic of Congo, appeared confused about why he was being pulled over. An autopsy determined he had a blood-alcohol content three times the legal limit, according to Local 4 in Detroit.
But Schurr, 31, made no mention during the traffic stop about suspecting Lyoya of being drunk.
Kent County Prosecutor Christopher Becker who made the decision to charge Schurr stated the following during a Thursday press conference, according to The Detroit News.
“The elements of second-degree murder is relatively simple. First, there was a death, a death done by the defendant. … The death was not justified or excused, for example, by self-defense. Taking a look at everything that I reviewed in this case, I believe there’s a sufficient basis to proceed.”
Schurr faces up to life in prison if convicted. Watch the video below.
