GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker sat down with FOX 17 on Friday to discuss why he has asked Grand Rapids Police not to share video of an officer-involved shooting with the public.
“I think when we take all cases seriously and treat all cases similarly, we establish that precedent, that commonality when we get to trial, we’re not being influenced by something that was released way early before we had all the evidence,” Becker said.
Becker says that GRPD can release the video, even though he has asked them not to.
“Sure. I don’t have control. I don’t have control over police agencies, they’re separate entities,” Becker said.
He also said it's not entirely uncommon for the prosecutor's office to request information regarding investigations be withheld from the public.
“We’ve had this conversation. This may be a more public version because there’s so much focus on it. But this is standard,” Becker said.
MORE: Family demands answers, remembers life of man killed in GR officer-involved shooting
The video depicts the death of 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya. A spokesperson for the family told FOX 17on Thursday that they wish for the video to be released. The family spokesperson says the video they saw with the help of Michigan State Police depicts Lyoya being shot face down on the ground.
FOX 17 has been unable to view the video to independently verify its contents.
RELATED: ‘The father wants the video out:’ Family, commissioner upset by video of officer-involved shooting
Becker says this is about maintaining the integrity of the investigation.
“You want to have all the evidence at a time, and not piecemeal it out,” Becker said.
The complete investigation could happen as fast as within weeks or take as long as months.
In a statement sent to Fox 17 late Friday afternoon, GRPD said the video will be released no later than Friday, April 15.
MORE: Patrick Lyoya's girlfriend asks investigators to release video of what led to her boyfriend's death
