GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Protesters gathered in downtown Grand Rapids after the Kent County prosecutor announced the officer who shot and killed Patrick Lyoya on April 4 will face charges.
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced Officer Christopher Schurr is being charged with second-degree murder for the shooting death of Lyoya.
Officer Christopher Schurr shot the 26-year-old in the back of the head on the morning of April 4 near Griggs and Nelson on the city's southeast side.
Schurr was placed on paid administrative leave following the shooting.
Thursday brought an emotional moment when Jimmy Barwan, a close friend of Lyoya, got down on the ground in front of the Grand Rapids Police Department to demonstrate how they say Lyoya was shot and killed.
He laid there for several minutes as the crowd surrounded him holding signs and flags to block the view of the cameras.
FOX 17 talked with Barwan before this.
He said he was in high spirits and thankful for the second-degree murder charge, but still hoping for more.
"I hope that this teaches a lesson, not only to that particular officer, but to all officers who see, you know, this situation that we're going through because at the end of the day, we need this. This is revolutionary, but it's so sad that this has happened this way," said Barwan.
At one point during Thursday's demonstration, several officers came outside of the department to tell the group not to block traffic.
The group yelled at the officers who made a few demands for the demonstrators to leave, but the officers ultimately went back inside after blocking off the street on the west end to keep out traffic.
Click here for more coverage on the shooting death of Patrick Lyoya.
