GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The streets of downtown Grand Rapids echoed with chants of “Justice for Patrick” on Sunday as more than 100 protesters gathered in a show of solidarity ahead of a long-awaited murder trial.
Demonstrators rallied outside the Kent County Courthouse to honor Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant who was fatally shot by former Grand Rapids Police Officer Christopher Schurr in 2022. After nearly three years of court delays and public outcry, Schurr’s second-degree murder trial is set to begin Monday morning.
Lyoya was killed during a traffic stop on the city’s southeast side when Schurr pulled him over for a mismatched license plate. After a brief foot chase and a struggle over a Taser, Schurr who is white shot Lyoya — who was unarmed — in the back of the head.
Sunday’s protest was organized by the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Speakers included Ivan Diaz, a former Kent County commissioner now running for the Michigan Senate, and Robert Womack, a current county commissioner.
“Convicting Schurr will be a victory for Patrick’s family, but the fight doesn’t end there,” said Sam Tunningley, a leader with the organizing group. “Justice means reforming a system that allows this to happen.”
Protesters also remembered other recent tragedies involving local law enforcement, including the deaths of Riley Doggett and Samuel Sterling. The community’s frustration was palpable, with many voicing concerns that justice continues to be delayed or denied for marginalized groups.
“If it can happen to Patrick, it can happen to any of us,” Diaz warned, criticizing rhetoric that blames victims for their own deaths.
After the rally, the group marched through downtown, stopping in front of the Grand Rapids Police Department and chanting, “No justice, no peace! Justice for Patrick!” Many in the crowd expressed demands not only for justice in Lyoya’s case but for broader systemic change.
As Schurr’s trial begins, protesters vow to keep up the pressure — not just for a conviction, but for meaningful reform.
Demonstrations are set to continue Monday morning, with protesters gathering in front of the courthouse as opening statements get underway.
A separate rally is also planned at 8:30 a.m. at Calder Plaza where State Representative James DeSana (R-Carleton) will introduced a bill that would grant police officers expanded “qualified immunity,” potentially shielding them from lawsuits — a move that critics say would make achieving justice in cases like Lyoya’s even harder.
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