Trial of Michigan police officer charged in fatal shooting of Congolese immigrant ends in hung jury

The trial of a Michigan police officer charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a 26-year-old Black man has ended in a mistrial

A jury couldn’t reached a unanimous verdict Thursday in the second-degree murder trial of a Michigan police officer who shot Patrick Lyoya, a Black man, following a traffic stop in 2022.

The judge declared a mistrial and ended the proceedings, a partial victory for Christopher Schurr, who still could face another trial. Lyoya’s death had sparked weeks of protest in Grand Rapids, especially after the city’s police chief released video of the confrontation.

Schurr shot Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, in the back of the head while the 26-year-old lay facedown on the ground. Schurr told jurors that he feared his life was at stake after losing control of his Taser during an intense struggle in a residential neighborhood.