LEXINGTON, Mich.—Police in Grand Rapids are on high alert as local businesses are boarding up their shops and sending employees home ahead of a release of a video of an officer-involved shooting.
The April 4 shooting occurred after Patrick Lyoya, 26, of Grand Rapids attempted to run away from what police officials said was “a traffic stop.”
Police Chief Eric Winstrom said Lyoya began what he called a “lengthy” fight with the officer, resulting in Lyoya being fatally shot.
Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack disagrees with the police department’s version of events, saying in a Facebook post, “The claim that Patrick died in direct combat and was shot to stop him fighting is a lie…This is murder. The officials know it…The officer needs to be fired and charged.”
One employee of a downtown business, who did not want to be publicly identified, told The Epoch Times in an April 13 phone interview, “I heard the video is terrible. Employers are sending their workers home at noon today from their offices. Buildings are being barricaded. Police are on high alert.”
The employee said nobody was taking any chances in light of the violent and destructive rioting that wracked the city after the death of George Floyd in the spring of 2020.
“The rainy weather today may dampen things down some, for now,” said the employee.
The officer has been placed on leave and the Michigan State Police have undertaken the investigation of the case.
