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Cop Tackles Unarmed Man, Places Him on His Back, and Shoots Him in the Back of the Head


On April 4, an unidentified officer with the Grand Rapids police department performed a traffic stop on Patrick Lyoya, 26, a Congolese refugee. Lyoya would die moments later from a gunshot wound to the back of his skull — placed there by the police officer — for committing a minor traffic infraction.

Lyoya's death exemplifies how the system discriminates against the poor and minorities via exorbitant traffic fines and penalties for non-compliance. Lyoya's licence was suspended, and he was well aware that the officer who pulled him over that day would almost certainly arrest him for it. As a result, he attempted to flee.

Lyoya was not permitted to go since it is a police officer's duty to abduct and imprison individuals for victimless offences such as suspended licences. Rather than that, the police increased the officer's aggression toward the unarmed, non-violent individual.

The nightmare for Lyoya's two children and his parents began that tragic day, and they were forced to wait until Wednesday to see how it played out. It's one of the most horrific videos we've seen in a long time.

The officer started the traffic stop, according to the Grand Rapids police department, because the licence plate on Lyoya's automobile did not match the vehicle in the system.

Lyoya leaves the vehicle during the stop before the officer asks for his driver's licence and instructs him to return to the vehicle. Lyoya made the decision to escape at that point. At this time, the officer pursued Lyoya and began a scuffle on the ground.

Lyoya made no effort to strike or otherwise damage the officer throughout the battle. He was only attempting to flee and protect himself from the officer's onslaught.

Lyoya snatches the officer's taser as he prepares to discharge it.

"Stop!" shouts the cop. "Release the Taser!"

The officer remains on Lyoya's back for around 90 seconds before drawing his handgun, placing it on the back of Lyoya's head, and firing. Lyoya would not survive the bullet to the back of his skull in the manner of execution.

Ben Crump, a prominent attorney specialising in police brutality, is representing the family and issued a statement on Wednesday requesting that the officer be sacked, jailed, and prosecuted for what he termed excessive force and the "violent death of Patrick Lyoya."

"The video plainly demonstrates that this was an outrageous, lethal use of force on an unarmed innocent man who was befuddled by the encounter and scared for his life," Crump said. "It should be emphasised that Patrick never resorted violence against this officer, despite the officer's repeated use of force against him during a minor traffic stop."

According to Lt. Michelle Robinson of the Michigan state police, their agency will be managing the investigation.

"This is going to be a major priority for us to ensure that the inquiry is finished on schedule," Robinson added.

The officer in question is now on paid administrative leave and has not been charged.

Residents have been protesting since Lyoya's death, with many pointing out that this is a trend with the GRPD.

"For three years, we have attended every single commission meeting, protested, marched, and circulated petitions informing these city officials that the GRPD is on a power trip and that unless they begin holding them accountable, another Black person will be killed by the police," one public commenter told the Press.

Lyoya immigrated to the United States with his five brothers and sisters as a kid. His family fled Congolese violence in search of a better and safer life in the United States. Unfortunately, and in a cruel twist of irony, their desire for a safer and better life has come to a brutal and deadly conclusion at the hands of the American police state.




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