Christopher Schurr, the former Grand Rapids police officer who shot and killed Patrick Lyoya during an April 2022 traffic stop, is now a free man with no active criminal case against him. His second-degree murder trial ended in a mistrial in May 2025, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker declined to retry him later that month, and a judge ordered his arrest records destroyed in August 2025. His only remaining legal exposure is a $100 million federal civil lawsuit filed by the Lyoya family, which is set for trial in October 2026.
The Criminal Case Is Over
Schurr was charged on June 9, 2022, with one count of second-degree murder, which carried a potential life sentence.1MLive. Patrick Lyoya After nearly three years of pretrial litigation, his trial began on April 28, 2025, in Kent County Circuit Court before Judge Christina Mims.2CBS News Detroit. Mistrial Declared in Christopher Schurr Trial
The jury heard five days of testimony. Prosecutors argued the shooting was unnecessary and excessive, pointing out that the Taser had already been deployed twice and was not being used against Schurr when he fired. The defense argued Schurr feared for his life because Lyoya had wrested control of the Taser and the officer was physically spent from the struggle. Jurors were also permitted to consider the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.3ABC7 Chicago. Christopher Schurr Will Not Face Retrial
After almost three days of deliberation, the 12-member jury could not reach a verdict. Becker later said the split moved from an initial 4-4-4 to 7-5 and finally to 10-2 in favor of acquittal.4WWMT. Kent County Prosecutor Announces Decision on Schurr Retrial Judge Mims declared a mistrial on May 8, 2025.5Fox 2 Detroit. Mistrial Declared in Christopher Schurr Trial
Why There Will Be No Retrial
On May 22, 2025, Becker announced he would not pursue a second trial. He said he had reviewed the prosecution’s case, the defense arguments, and the jury selection process and concluded a new trial would not produce a different outcome. “I do not see the ability to get twelve people to unanimously agree,” Becker said, adding that it was not “prudent to retry the case based on the mere hope something drastic will change with a new jury panel and the exact same evidence.”6Fox 17 Online. Christopher Schurr Will Not Be Retried in Death of Patrick Lyoya
Becker also refused to consider reducing the charge to manslaughter, saying he believed from the start the case was second-degree murder and would “try it on that or not try it at all.”6Fox 17 Online. Christopher Schurr Will Not Be Retried in Death of Patrick Lyoya
The state did not step in either. On May 30, 2025, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office said it would not take over the prosecution, stating that the office “does not operate as an appellate prosecuting authority over cases tried at the local level” and that it respected the local prosecutor’s decision.7WWMT. Nessel Declines Retrial of Schurr
The Lyoya family said they were devastated. Patrick’s mother, Dorcas Lyoya, said: “It was really bad for me, emotionally, mentally, and I had a broken heart. For me I’m not happy and I will be never happy until we find justice for Patrick.” His father, Peter Lyoya, called the legal process a “trap” and raised concerns about the jury’s racial composition.8Fox 2 Detroit. Patrick Lyoya’s Family Speak After Prosecutor Declines to Retry Christopher Schurr
His Arrest Records Have Been Destroyed
After the charges were effectively dismissed, Schurr’s attorneys filed a motion to destroy his arrest records, fingerprints, and biometric data, and to remove the murder charge entry from the state’s Law Enforcement Information Network and criminal history databases. The motion relied on Michigan law (MCL 764.26a), which requires destruction of that data when charges are dismissed before a conviction.9WOOD TV. Motion Seeks to Destroy Former GRPD Officer’s Arrest Records After Murder Mistrial
Becker did not oppose it, saying there was “no basis under the law to object.”9WOOD TV. Motion Seeks to Destroy Former GRPD Officer’s Arrest Records After Murder Mistrial Judge Mims approved the order on August 4, 2025.10WZZM 13. Christopher Schurr Trial Records Destroyed Cooley Law Professor Tracey Brame called the process a “routine exercise of Michigan law” but acknowledged that from a “victim standpoint,” erasing the records “sounds very jarring.”
The $100 Million Civil Lawsuit Is Still Ahead
Schurr’s remaining legal fight is on the civil side. In December 2022, the Lyoya family filed a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan against both the City of Grand Rapids and Schurr. The complaint alleged Fourth Amendment violations, excessive force, racial profiling, gross negligence, and willful misconduct.11Michigan Public. Lyoya Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Grand Rapids, Former Police Officer Schurr
On August 28, 2023, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney dismissed the City of Grand Rapids from the suit, finding the family’s attorneys had not shown a link between the city’s training policies or any alleged custom of racial discrimination and Schurr’s specific actions. The case continued against Schurr individually.12MLive. Grand Rapids Dismissed From Patrick Lyoya Death Lawsuit Judge Maloney rejected Schurr’s qualified immunity defense at that stage, ruling that if Lyoya “did not pose a threat, then Schurr was certainly not entitled to use deadly force, and in turn, is not entitled to qualified immunity.”13WGVU News. A Lawsuit Will Proceed Against an Ex-Officer in the Fatal Shooting of a Black Man
Schurr appealed. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit dismissed his appeal on September 9, 2024, for lack of jurisdiction, finding the case turned on unresolved factual disputes, including whether Lyoya had actually seized the Taser and whether Schurr had already subdued him before firing. The court said the available video footage did not “blatantly contradict or utterly discredit” the family’s version of events. A petition for rehearing en banc was denied on October 21, 2024.14U.S. Supreme Court. Schurr Appendix, Sixth Circuit Opinion According to a Lyoya family attorney, Schurr then tried to take the immunity question to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the case was remanded to the lower court.8Fox 2 Detroit. Patrick Lyoya’s Family Speak After Prosecutor Declines to Retry Christopher Schurr
The civil trial is scheduled to begin October 19, 2026, before Judge Maloney in U.S. District Court in Kalamazoo and is expected to run three weeks. A settlement conference is set for September 2, 2026.15MLive. Civil Trial for Ex-Police Officer Christopher Schurr Set for October 2026 Family attorney Ven Johnson said the mistrial reinforced his view of the civil case: “I think this shows that our civil case is extremely strong. We will be moving forward with that belief.”16Court TV. Prosecutors Will Not Retry Christopher Schurr for Death of Patrick Lyoya
His Employment Status
Schurr is no longer a Grand Rapids police officer. Six days after he was charged, on June 15, 2022, Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington fired him after Schurr waived his right to a discharge hearing. He had served with the department for seven years.1MLive. Patrick Lyoya The department has not publicly commented on whether he would be eligible to return now that the criminal case has been dropped.4WWMT. Kent County Prosecutor Announces Decision on Schurr Retrial
The Shooting That Started It All
On the morning of April 4, 2022, Schurr pulled over 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya in a residential Grand Rapids neighborhood after noticing the license plate did not match the car. When Schurr asked for a driver’s license, Lyoya got out and ran. Schurr caught him, tackled him, and the two struggled on a residential lawn for more than two minutes. Schurr deployed his Taser and shouted repeatedly for Lyoya to let go of it. With Lyoya facedown on the ground and Schurr on top of him, Schurr drew his firearm and shot Lyoya once in the back of the head.17CNN. Patrick Lyoya Ex-Officer Trial Christopher Schurr
Toxicology showed Lyoya’s blood alcohol content was 0.29, more than three times Michigan’s legal driving limit.1MLive. Patrick Lyoya Schurr did not know at the time of the stop that Lyoya’s license had been revoked or that there was an active arrest warrant against him in a domestic violence case.3ABC7 Chicago. Christopher Schurr Will Not Face Retrial Schurr’s body camera deactivated 42 seconds before the fatal shot, a gap that drew scrutiny throughout the case.18PBS NewsHour. Officer’s Body Camera Went Dark During Key Moment of Patrick Lyoya’s Death