Patrick Lyoya video: Experts analyze key moments of fatal police shooting in Grand Rapids

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DETROIT — The Grand Rapids police officer who killed motorist Patrick Lyoya missed several opportunities to peacefully resolve the encounter, according to policing and civil rights experts.

So did Lyoya, some of them said.

Lyoya, 26, died April 4 after being shot in the head. He had attempted to run from the officer who stopped him. The pair wrestled on the ground during a struggle over the officer's stun gun, before the officer pulled his pistol and fired the fatal shot.

Grand Rapids police released video of the incident this week, prompting protests in Grand Rapids and renewing calls for police reforms in Michigan and beyond. The Michigan State Police are investigating the officer's actions in the shooting. His name has not been released.

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Four experts in policing and civil rights agreed to review video of the encounter for the Detroit Free Press, part of the Paste BN Network, and to offer their perspectives on what it shows. They emphasized that a thorough investigation must be completed before definitive conclusions are drawn.

Video used in this report was released by the Grand Rapids police. It came from four sources: 

• A body camera worn by the officer
• A camera mounted to the dashboard of the officer's patrol car
• A doorbell camera on a nearby home
• A cell phone used by the passenger in the vehicle that was stopped

Here's what those experts noted about key points in the footage:

Lyoya gets out of the car

Patrick Lyoya ignores the officer's command to return to the car. The officer then approaches him shouting and pointing.

"The officer stopped the individual and began the interaction by ordering him rather than using somewhat softer language even though the person wasn't complying with the officer," said Patrick Guarnieri, chairman and CEO of the National De-Escalation Training Center, a nonprofit that teaches police tactics across the country. "Typical de-escalation looks at more of a friendly interaction and not raising your voice."

Guarnieri said when the officer does get closer to Lyoya, he attempts to de-escalate the situation.

"He's attempting to get peaceful compliance by toning down and not yelling as much as he did before," he said.

The driver's license

Lyoya doesn't provide a driver's license then turns his back to the officer to leave. 

"Those movements are furtive and from a law enforcement perspective signal that something else is wrong or something is terribly wrong," said Keith Taylor, a long-time New York City police officer who now teaches criminal justice at John Jay College.

The struggle begins

The officer grabs Lyoya to try to stop him.

"This is the point where the officer grabs Mr. Lyoya and then starts fighting with him," said Michael Steinberg, director of the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative at the University of Michigan Law School. "This may be a point where instead of grabbing him and starting a struggle when he has no backup, he could have tried to speak with him."

The chase begins

Lyoya breaks free of the officer and runs. The officer chases him. Experts disagree on the decision to chase. 

"Why are you chasing this guy?" asked Lorenzo Boyd, who teaches criminal justice and community policing at the University of New Haven. "How far is he gonna get? You've got his car."

Boyd said he would have radioed for backup and stayed with Lyoya's car to avoid a physical confrontation.

Taylor said the officer was obligated to pursue Lyoya.

"Who knows why he's running," Taylor said. "Does he have a weapon on him? Did he just come from a murder? All kinds of possibilities that officer has to discern, but must first take action."

Tackled

The officer tackles Lyoya and knees him in an attempt to handcuff him. 

"At that point in time, we're beyond the possibility of de-escalation from any form of physical force," Guarnieri said.

Steinberg said the officer's violence was unnecessary.

"The officer is using violence against the suspect and the suspect is not fighting back," Steinberg said. "He's obviously not cooperating with being arrested. He doesn't want to be arrested but it's not like the suspect is hitting back or doing anything other than trying to get up and get away."

The Taser

The officer pulls his Taser and Lyoya points it away to avoid being shot with it.

"That's when it starts getting very dangerous, specifically for the officer," Taylor said. "Why? Because of the very, very possible outcome of that Taser being used against the officer, which would then allow that individual access to the officer's gun."

Lyoya and the officer wrestle on the ground while continuing to fight for the Taser.

"The officer is on top of Mr. Lyoya and seems to have the upper hand and maybe Mr. Lyoya is trying to push the Taser away so he doesn't get hit," Steinberg said. 

Taylor said the officer is fighting for his life at this point.

"He is in a serious struggle for control of the Taser which, if that officer loses, is going to be used against him," he said.

The gun

The officer pulls his gun and shoots Lyoya.

"The officer now pulled out his firearm and uses it as he no longer had control of the Taser. And he would have shortly lost control of the situation," Taylor said.

Steinberg disagreed, noting the officer is on top of Lyoya.

"It looks from this position like an execution," Steinberg said. "It seems very clear to me that that officer violated his constitutional rights."

Reach John Wisely on Twitter @jwisely.