Anger in Michigan after the death of a black man, killed by a white police officer

Published on : 14/04/2022 – 03:30

Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old black man, was killed on April 4 by a white police officer following a traffic stop in Michigan. The release of videos from the scene on Wednesday sparked evening protests in Grand Rapids.

Several dozen demonstrators gathered on the evening of Wednesday April 13 in Grand Rapids, Michigan (northern United States), following the publication of videos showing the death of a young black man, killed by a white police officer.

One of the four videos of the drama that occurred on April 4 shows the policeman lying on the back of Patrick Lyoya, 26, before he shot him, in all likelihood, in the head.

An altercation between Patrick Lyoya and the policeman had broken out following a traffic stop, and shortly before the shooting, the two men appeared to be struggling on the ground to take control of the policeman’s electric gun. His name has not been revealed.

“A tragedy”

According to images from the local ABC channel, several dozen people had gathered in downtown Grand Rapids, a Michigan city of some 200,000 people. The demonstrators carried signs “Black Lives Matter” (“black lives matter”), and chanted “no justice, no peace”.

“I consider this a tragedy,” Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said of the April 4 tragedy Wednesday at a news conference where the videos were released. “The loss of a life, regardless of the circumstances, is sad, and I know it will impact our city,” he added.

The officer has been placed on paid leave pending the results of the Michigan State Police investigation, Eric Winstrom said.

American society has been rocked in recent years by the deaths of black men killed by police, particularly following a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on the neck of African American George Floyd in 2020.

With AFP