Demonstrations continued over the weekend in protest of the shooting death of 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya by a Grand Rapids Police Officer on April 4th.
Sunday marked the fifth day straight that demonstrators gathered in downtown Grand Rapids in protest after footage released by the Police Department last Wednesday showed the unarmed, 26-year-old Congolese man getting shot in the back of the head by an officer as the two wrestled on the ground.
On Saturday evening, an estimated 1100 people marched along Monroe Avenue from Pearl Street to City Hall before heading back south towards Rosa Park Circle.
And on Friday, students and faculty from MSU’s College of Human Medicine marched down Division avenue in protest over Patrick Lyoya’s death.
Marissa Solorzano is a medical student and the protest’s organizer:
“For us to not say that black lives matter is an inadequacy.”
While the protests have all been emotionally charged, they have all been peaceful, something that organizers as well as Patrick Lyoya’s parents have called for.
And the demonstrations are expected to continue Monday and throughout the week as Patrick Lyoya will be laid to rest on Friday.