GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A funeral is being held Friday for Patrick Lyoya, the motorist killed by a Grand Rapids police officer following an April 4 traffic stop.
Civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton is scheduled to deliver the eulogy at the service scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at Renaissance Church of God in Christ, 1001 33rd Street SE, in Grand Rapids.
Sharpton heads the National Action Network and has vowed that he and the network will pay for the funeral costs of Lyoya, 26.
Family attorney Benjamin Crump has said he will "make a call to action" during the services.
Lyoya was shot by an unidentified Grand Rapids Police Department officer after an April 4 traffic stop in which the officer asked for Lyoya's driver's license and Lyoya eventually fled the car and a chase on foot ensued. The two men ended up struggling over the officer’s stun gun, according to video footage released last week by the Grand Rapids Police Department, before the officer shot Lyoya in the back of the head.
In 20 minutes of footage released by Grand Rapids Police, Lyoya can be heard saying, "stop what you are doing, please" while the officer can be heard shouting to Lyoya "let go of the Taser" before firing the fatal shot.
An autopsy requested by the Lyoya family and conducted by Dr. Werner Spitz found that the cause of death was a bullet shot to the back of the head.
The officer, whose name the family has called for to be released, is on paid leave while the incident is being investigated by the Michigan State Police.
Family members and mourners gathered Saturday for a vigil at a Lansing church where they called for justice for Lyoya.
The vigil ended with a moment of silence for Lyoya. The family asked people to spread their message through a hashtag, #Justice4Patrick, and told attendees not to speak to the media or provide interviews.
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