A lawyer representing the family of Patrick Lioya, who was fatally shot by police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during a traffic stop, said the man had been executed.
“This video was very difficult to watch,” lawyer Ben Crump told a family news conference on Thursday, “because what you see in this video is unnecessary, unjustified, excessive use of deadly force. You see a police officer escalate a juvenile traffic stop into a deadly execution. “
The video shows a brief chase and fight with the officer’s taser before the white officer shoots Patrick Lioya while the Black one is face down.
Peter Lioya took his six children, including his eldest, 26-year-old Patrick, from the Congo in 2014 to escape the violence. Now he says he is afraid he brought them to the United States to die. Lioya spoke to the Associated Press at her Lansing apartment on Thursday, a day after police released a video of the fatal encounter. Patrick Ben’s cousin serves as a translator.
Peter said he had come to the United States to escape the protracted civil unrest in which several rebel groups were fighting for control of mineral-rich eastern Congo. Patrick, who had two young children, worked in a car parts factory in Grand Rapids and will visit his siblings in Lansing over the weekend, his father said.
At the meeting on April 4, the officer repeatedly ordered Lioya to “release” his stun gun, at one point insisting, “Throw the stun gun!”
WATCH The video shows minutes before Lioja’s death:
Police have released videos of Patrick Lioya’s shooting
Police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have released several videos that appear to show Patrick Lioya’s deadly shooting from behind after a traffic stop. 1:22
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom pointed to the need for transparency in the release of video collected by a passenger in Lioja’s car, the police camera, the police patrol car and the bell camera. Winstrom did not identify the officer, a seven-year veteran who was on paid leave during the investigation.
“I see it as a tragedy … It was a progression of sadness for me,” said Winstrom, a former Chicago police chief who became chief of the Grand Rapids in March. The city of about 200,000 people is located about 240 kilometers northwest of Detroit.
The family wants the name of an officer
Peter Leia demanded justice for his son and the police to reveal the name of the policeman. He said his son is a nice child who has never had problems with anyone. He said Patrick’s brothers and sisters wanted to know who killed him and would like to see a picture of him so they could understand that “this is the man who took our loved one.”
A still photo taken from the video shows Lioja being held face down before being shot. A lawyer for Lioja’s family says it was an “execution”. (Grand Rapids Police Department)
The video shows Patrick Lioya fleeing from a police officer who stopped him for driving with a license plate that does not belong to the vehicle. They fought in front of several houses as Lioja’s companion went out and watched.
Winstrom said the battle for Taser lasted about 90 seconds. At the last moment, the officer was on top of Lioya, sometimes kneeling on his back to subdue him.
“From my video point of view, the Taser has been used twice. Taser made no contact, “Winstrom told reporters on Wednesday. “And Mr. Loya was shot in the head. But that’s the only information I have.”
The state police is investigating. Kent County Chief Medical Officer Dr. Stephen Cole said he had completed the autopsy, but toxicology tests were not complete.
Stopping traffic has been tense from the start
Stopping was tense from the start. The video shows Lioja getting out of the car before the policeman approaches. He ordered Lioja back in the car, but the man refused.
The policeman asked him if he spoke English and asked for his driver’s license. The foot chase began soon after, a video shows.
“This is not a crime,” Crump said. “It was not even a moving violation. It is said to be an inappropriate label.
Prosecutor Chris Becker will decide whether the charges are justified, but said the public should not expect a quick solution. Although the videos are “important evidence, they are not all evidence,” he added.
The camera of the policeman’s body was turned off before the shooting, which happens when a button is pressed for three seconds, Winstrom said. He said he appears to have been inadvertently deactivated due to body pressure during the battle, but he would not discuss any statements by an officer about it.
“This will come out once the investigation is over,” Winstrom said.
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