GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Day 4 of Christopher Schurr Murder Trial Focuses on Use of Force, Training, and Exhaustion
Tensions continue to run high in the Kent County Circuit Court as the murder trial of former Grand Rapids Police Officer Christopher Schurr enters its fourth day. The proceedings on Thursday, May 1, were dominated by testimony from multiple law enforcement officers and expert witnesses, each attempting to clarify the moment-by-moment decisions that led to the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya in 2022.
At the center of the trial is a critical question: Was Schurr’s decision to shoot Lyoya in the back of the head during a physical struggle justified under police training and protocol?
Testimony from Fellow Officers
In a highly anticipated moment, Officer Jason Gady, a firearms training instructor with the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD), took the stand in full uniform. Gady, who helped train Schurr, told the jury that he did not find Schurr’s actions unreasonable, even given the fact that the shot was fired into the back of Lyoya’s head.
Asked directly by defense attorney Mark Dodge whether the shooting, including the fatal shot location, was inappropriate or unreasonable, Gady replied simply, “No.”
He further explained that officers are not trained to fire warning shots or aim at extremities in deadly force scenarios. Instead, officers are trained to stop a threat as quickly and effectively as possible, even if it means firing at vital areas like the head or torso.
Gady was one of five active-duty officers and one retired sergeant who testified for the defense Thursday, all wearing their uniforms — a visual and symbolic show of support for Schurr. Their testimony backed the defense’s argument that Schurr was following department training and policy throughout the 2.5-minute altercation.
The interaction began as a routine traffic stop on April 4, 2022, when Schurr pulled Lyoya over for a license plate issue. The stop escalated quickly, ending with a fatal gunshot to the back of Lyoya’s head after a physical struggle involving Schurr’s Taser.
The Role of the Taser
The defense maintains that the Taser was still an active threat, despite having fired both its cartridges. GRPD training officers testified that the device could still be used in “drive stun mode” — pressing the Taser directly to the body to inflict pain. Moreover, the spent wires from the Taser could still become active under the right circumstances.
This, the defense argued, meant that Schurr had reason to fear for his safety, especially if he believed the Taser might be used against him. They noted that Schurr was visibly exhausted, potentially impairing his judgment and physical control.
Captain Chad McKersie, another GRPD official, testified that Schurr’s use of deadly force was not unreasonable under the circumstances. Although his statement that Schurr was “in fear” was later struck by Judge Christina Mims as speculative, McKersie was allowed to state that it would be reasonable for an officer to fear being incapacitated if disarmed during a violent encounter.
This echoed his testimony from a 2022 preliminary hearing, where McKersie had said Schurr appeared to follow his training and was reacting to imminent danger. At that earlier hearing, Prosecutor Chris Becker raised questions about why Schurr was terminated from GRPD if his actions were within protocol — a question that has not resurfaced in the current trial.
Expert Analysis: Fatigue, Force, and Risk
Defense expert Lon Bartel, a trainer in use-of-force simulators for law enforcement and the military, offered a detailed breakdown of the physical struggle. Using bodycam footage and images, Bartel described the encounter as a “prolonged, very intense fight”, arguing that exhaustion was a key factor in the outcome.
He noted Schurr’s labored breathing, visible fatigue, and physical exertion as signs that he was reaching the limits of his capability — all while trying to prevent Lyoya from gaining full control of the Taser.
“Eventually, he’s at a point where he’s exhausted and has very little options other than the use of deadly force to stop the ongoing assault,” Bartel stated, emphasizing that in such scenarios, officers may have only seconds to make life-or-death decisions.
Another defense witness, Mark William Kroll, a biomedical scientist and expert in electrical weaponry, spoke about the dangers Tasers pose, even after initial deployment. According to Kroll, a Taser used in drive stun mode against sensitive areas like the neck could render someone unconscious, and Taser darts in the eye could be permanently damaging.
Kroll cited data from over 1,000 incidents in which lethal force followed unsuccessful Taser use, including 113 cases where suspects attempted to disarm officers — in 53 of those, the officers resorted to their firearms, with 48 fatalities resulting.
However, during cross-examination, Kroll acknowledged that Taser-related deaths are rare, with only 12 fatalities out of 1.4 million exposures in recent research. He also admitted that he has no documented cases of police officers being killed after losing a Taser to a suspect.
Broader Implications and Community Tensions
The Patrick Lyoya shooting sparked intense protests and renewed calls for police reform in Grand Rapids and across Michigan. Lyoya, a 26-year-old Black man and Congolese immigrant, became the latest symbol in the national debate over policing, race, and use of force. His death, captured in part on bodycam video, drew widespread media attention and prompted scrutiny of GRPD practices.
While the defense’s case has focused heavily on departmental protocol, threat perception, and physical exhaustion, the prosecution contends that Schurr escalated the situation unnecessarily, failed to de-escalate, and used deadly force when the threat had been neutralized. They argue that the Taser no longer posed a danger and that the shot to the back of the head was unjustified.
Schurr is charged with second-degree murder, and if convicted, could face up to life in prison.
The trial is expected to continue into next week, with the prosecution preparing to call additional expert witnesses and to cross-examine the defense’s remaining testimony.
As the courtroom continues to unpack the final moments of Patrick Lyoya’s life, the city of Grand Rapids watches closely — a community still grappling with the broader implications of policing, race, and justice in America.