GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Community members came out to have their voices heard by the Grand Rapids city commission Tuesday night after Patrick Lyoya was shot to death by a police officer.
The residents demanded answers and called for members of the local government to resign.
Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, saying that he wants law enforcement to be held accountable, while also commending the people who have protested the police killing peacefully.
"How can I do that when black men is dying in the middle of the street?" Womack said. "We want to see more deescalation, more training, but that's enough about the system cause everyone is going to be emotionally hurt when they see this...and the family is asking for peace, so I thank the young people who have been acting peacefully....We don't wanna see anymore people die."
During that meeting, a long line of community members shared their disappointment in the way Patrick's death has been handled. They say, this is not the first incident of the Grand Rapids Police Department lacking accountability, and that there needs to be full transparency and justice. They add, they don't want prayers they want policy change.
Public comments:
"You’re supposed to preserve and improve the life of the residents of this place, and instead the folks who are obligated and under your responsibility allowed for the extinguishing of a life instead.. you share the blame."
"Buck the system used to unfairly shelter cops from consequences the rest of us would have to deal with, tomorrow is yet another day too late to cough up video of this inexcusable execution. This officer has enjoyed anonymity and slow walking for far too long and none of the rest of us get that treatment."
"We don’t need to wait for another tragedy to happen so that you can hear us, please make that change now."
"The world will be watching everything that happens after, this could be a step in the right direction to prevent this."
The Grand Rapids Police Department will be releasing the video of the fatal police shooting of Patrick Lyoya at a press conference scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday.
After the press conference, GRPD will provide a public link with video of the shooting from nine different sources.
GRPD wanted to note that the video will be unedited, but some video images "may have been redacted/blurred to ensure privacy." No audio from the video will be edited.
Lyoya died Monday, April 4, after what Grand Rapids Police has said was a "lengthy struggle" during a traffic stop.
Family of Lyoya has seen the dash camera and body camera video of the incident. They say the video shows Lyoya being shot in the back of the head.
Jamie Sherrod and Matt Witkos contributed to this report.
How we got here:
Man shot, killed by officer during traffic stop in Grand Rapids
Man identified in Grand Rapids officer-involved shooting
Family demands answers, remembers life of man killed in GR officer-involved shooting
GRPD Chief on delaying release of video: this is not a cover-up
Kent County prosecutor: GRPD can share video of officer-involved shooting without his approval
‘I’m bleeding. I’m hurt:’ Father wants video of deadly officer-involved shooting released
Hundreds march against killing of Patrick Lyoya by a Grand Rapids police officer
Vigil for Patrick Lyoya, man who died after being shot by GR police officer
National and local leaders hold forum after Patrick Lyoya shot and killed by GR police officer
Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump calling for police video of Lyoya’s death to be released
