GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Nearly three weeks after his death, the family of Patrick Lyoya and the community gathered to lay him to rest Friday.
The funeral was held at Renaissance Church of God in Christ in Grand Rapids and was open to the public.
Family, community members and local leaders attended the service, which both called for justice for Lyoya and remembered him.
Mourners heard from The Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack, family interpreter Isreal Siku and Bishop Dennis McMurray during the service.
Lyoya was killed April 4 during a traffic stop near the intersection of Griggs Street and Nelson Avenue SE in Grand Rapids.
Authorities said a GRPD officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle with a faulty license plate. Lyoya, who was driving the vehicle, fled from police on foot.
After a physical struggle with the officer, Lyoya was shot and killed.
Independent autopsy results showed that Lyoya was killed by a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
Since Lyoya's death, the community has gathered to demand justice for him and call for police reform.
During the ceremony, Sharpton delivered the eulogy and called for the name of the officer who killed Lyoya to be released. He said the officer could not have been in danger of his life while kneeling on Lyoya, who was facedown when he was killed.
“It’s trouble when you can shoot people in the head and remain anonymous," he said during the ceremony.
Sharpton went on to call for accountability in the police department.
"How dare you hold the name of the man who killed this man. We want his name!" he said. "I'm not going to desecrate the name of the local authorities, but I want to call on the federal Justice Department. We need the Justice Department to investigate his death."
After hearing from politicians and faith leaders, Crump addressed police violence across the nation, saying that community members should show support and demand justice for Lyoya.
"This is not just an issue that affects Grand Rapids. This is not just an issue that affects the state of Michigan," he said. "This is an issue that affects all humanity, because Patrick was a human being, and Patrick's life matters."
He also asked for support from city leaders like Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and City Manager Mark Washington, who attended the service.
A week and a half after Lyoya was killed, GRPD released the footage of the incident, including video from a body-worn camera, a police dash camera, a neighbor's surveillance system and cell phone video from a witness.
The release of the videos came after continued demands from the family and community.
At this time, GRPD is not identifying the officer in the shooting despite requests by 13 ON YOUR SIDE.
The Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting. Once the investigation is complete, they will hand over their findings to the prosecutor’s office, which will determine what’s next.
Watch the full funeral service below:
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