Autopsy shows Patrick Lyoya shot in back of head

(19 Apr 2022) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Detroit - 19 April 2022 1. Various of forensic pathologist Werner Spitz, with lawyers Ben Crump and Ven Johnson nearby, using a human skull as part of a demonstration related to the autopsy findings in the Patrick Lyoya case 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Crump, Lyoya family attorney: "Well, today, based on scientific evidence, we can confirm that Patrick Lyoya was shot in the back of his head. That is now scientific evidence of this tragic killing and what his family believes was an execution." 3. Spitz uses his own head to show the path the bullet took 4. A card with Spitz's name on it 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Werner Spitz, forensic pathologist: "There was no question and there is no question and there never will be question that this was a typical entrance bullet wound." 6. Crump speaks with a video of the Lyoya police interaction playing behind him 7. A blown-up diagram features Lyoya's name, age and trhe date of the autopsy 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Crump, Lyoya family attorney: "We concluded that we have to investigate thoroughly whether this is a DWB -- we know in the African American community as the classic driving while Black profiling case." 9. Various of Spitz pointing to a diagram 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Ven Johnson, Lyoya family attorney: "From the second that he pulled the weapon until he shot and killed Patrick was milliseconds, as Ben said, never gave a verbal warning, which is required under the federal law." 11. Johnson, Crump and Spitz at the news event STORYLINE: An independent autopsy confirms that Patrick Lyoya was shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer while facedown on the ground, lawyers for the Black man's family said Tuesday. The finding by a former Detroit-area medical examiner matches what was seen last week on video released by the Grand Rapids police chief. The official autopsy report hasn't been released to the public. "There never will be question that this was a typical entrance bullet wound," said Dr. Werner Spitz, holding a skull at a news conference to show where the bullet entered the head. Spitz said he believes the gun was pressed against Lyoya's head when the officer fired. Lyoya was killed after a traffic stop in western Michigan on April 4. He and the white officer physically struggled on the ground before the 26-year-old refugee from Congo was shot. Lyoya wasn't armed. The officer was on top of him and can be heard on video demanding that he take his hand off a police Taser. "We can confirm that Patrick Lyoya was shot in the back of his head," said attorney Ben Crump, who has secured multimillion-dollar settlements for families of other Black men killed by police. "That is now scientific evidence of this tragic killing and what his family believes was an execution." Spitz said he performed the autopsy last weekend at a Grand Rapids funeral home. The 95-year-old forensic pathologist participated in the assassination investigations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., among other high-profile cases. Lyoya's death has outraged his family as well as many people who have watched video of the confrontation with an officer. The officer, whose name hasn't been released, is heard saying during a traffic stop that the license plate didn't match the car. Lyoya declined to get back into the vehicle as ordered, and a short foot chase ensued. Crump said he and his team will look at whether this was a case of racial profiling — "driving while Black." Attorney Ven Johnson said Lyoya was resisting the officer, not fighting him. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...