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Parents of Patrick Lyoya call for justice after son's fatal shooting by Grand Rapids police officer
Patrick’s father is asking for protests in his son’s name to continue, but to remain peaceful.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (FOX2) - A weeping mother spoke for the first time since video of her son Patrick Lyoya’s death was made public this week by Grand Rapids police..
" I am deeply hurt and wounded, I don't know what to do - I can’t stop myself from crying," said Dorcas Lyoya through a translator. "And I cannot have another one who can replace Patrick, and for that, I want justice for my son."
Patrick Lyoya was shot in the head after a two minute, physical struggle with a Grand Rapids Police Officer earlier this month.
The officer made contact with Lyoya for what appears to be the wrong plate on his car. The video shows Lyoya ran from the officer which led to a struggle.
"Stop resisting,," the officer can be heard saying in a witness video while he and Lyoya were on the ground prior to the shooting.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom says there was a struggle over the officer’s Taser in the minute leading up to a single fatal shot.
"It wasn’t like he murdered someone, it wasn’t like he robbed anybody, he was being stopped for a traffic violation," said family attorney Ben Crump.
Crump, the high-profile Civil Rights attorney, is representing the family on a pending civil lawsuit.
"You see a confused person who never takes a violent act against the police officer - yet the police officer escalates," Crump said.
Local attorney Ven Johnson – the co-counsel, says Lyoya was unarmed and called for criminal homicide charges against the officer, who is now on paid administrative leave.
"You cannot shoot and kill an unarmed man because he resists," said Johnson.
"Get a solution," said one protester at the rally. "Alot of the people, we're tired of it. We're tired of it."
More coverage:
- Who was Patrick Lyoya? Everything we know about the man shot and killed by a Grand Rapids police officer
- Patrick Lyoya shooting: What charges the Grand Rapids police officer could face
- Michigan GOP governor candidate Tudor Dixon defends Grand Rapids police shooting of Patrick Lyoya
Patrick’s father is asking for protests in his son’s name to continue, but to remain peaceful.
"To see Patrick my son, was killed like an animal, by this police officer," said Peter Lyoya through a translator. "And to see this video they show, I see my heartbeat broken."
Michigan State Police are conducting an independent investigation of the shooting. We did learn the Department of Justice and the FBI are promising full support of resources. To the Kent County prosecutor as this investigation moves forward.