A federal judge has ruled that a civil trial can move forward against former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr in connection with the shooting death of Patrick Lyoya.
Schurr was charged in 2022 with second-degree murder after Lyoya was killed. A Kent County jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict after a criminal trial in 2025.
In the civil case, attorneys for Schurr asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed, arguing that immunity should apply under federal and state law and that Schurr feared for his life. The judge overseeing the case rejected that request, saying that based on video evidence, Schurr shot a man who posed no threat of violence…