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Grand Rapids police officer identified in death of Patrick Lyoya

Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr has been identified in the killing of Patrick Lyoya during an April 4 traffic stop.

Patrick Colson-Price, USA TODAY

Christopher Schurr a Grand Rapids,Michigan, police officer who fatally shot Patrick Lyoyain the back of the head on April 4 has been charged with one count of second-degreemurder, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced Thursday.

Second-degree murder is considered a felony offense. If convicted, Schurr could face a lifelong prison sentence with the possibility of parole.

Becker said the second-degree murder charge was the most severe possible, given the evidence he reviewed there was not any indication of premeditation from Schurr, he said, which prevented afirst-degree murder charge.

Schurr turned himself in, Becker said, and his arraignment could come as soon as Friday. He is likely to be tried in Kent County, with Beckers office overseeing the case.

I wouldnt charge it if I didnt think I could prove it, Becker told media gathered in the Michigan State Police precinct just northwest of Grand Rapids.

PREVIOUSLY: Medical examiner's autopsy confirms Patrick Lyoya was shot in back of head; blood-alcohol levels over limit

WATCH: Rev. Al Sharpton and Congolese community leaders hold funeral for Patrick Lyoya

Lyoya, who was 26 at the time of hisshooting,was a Congolese refugee. His deathsparked protestsin Grand Rapids, Detroit and elsewhere over thepolice departments conductwith the citys Black residents and prompted discussions over the citys commitment to racial equity, something it had pledged to improve in the wake of racial injustice protestsin 2020.

Schurr,who had been with the Grand Rapids Police Departmentsince 2015, was placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting. Police Chief Eric Winstromconfirmed Schurrs name to the publicon April 25.

Winstrom said he will recommend Schurr's suspension without pay from the police force pending termination. Schurr is entitled to an employment hearing, under city policy, Winstrom said, speaking during a press conference with other city leaders following Becker's announcement.

Footage released April 13by policeshows Schurr pulling overLyoya, who was Black,the morning of April 4 in Grand Rapids.Schurr, who is white, told Lyoya that he stopped his car because the license plate didnt match the vehicle.

Lyoya appeared confused by what Schurr was saying andexited his vehicle, prompting Schurr to tell him to get back in and provide his drivers license.

Lyoya ran away from Schurr, causing a chase through the front yards of nearby homes. Schurr eventually tackled Lyoya, the two struggled and Schurr could be heard telling Lyoya to "stop" and to "let go of the Taser, in the footage. Schurrs stun gun was deployed twicebut never made contact.

After about 90 seconds, Schurr was on top of Lyoya, who was facedown on the ground. Schurr, still yelling let go of the Taser, shot Lyoya in the back of the head.

The shooting was investigated by the Michigan State Police, which forwarded its investigation to Becker.

Defense lawyers said the shooting was not murder but an unfortunate tragedy during a volatile situation.

Mr. Lyoya gained full control of a police officers weapon while resisting arrest, placing Officer Schurr in fear of great bodily harm or death, Matt Borgula and Mark Dodge said in a written statement.

Lyoyas familygathered withattorneys to watch Beckers announcement from Detroit, andtheywere informed of the decision beforehand, Becker said. The family previouslycalled for charges and wasgiven a letter about the decision, which was translated into their native Swahili.

In Detroit, Peter Lyoya watched the televised announcement with his lawyer, Ven Johnson, and said he was pleased with the decision.

We strongly believed there was no justice in America, until today, Peter Lyoya said. What I want is the final justice for my son."

In addition to protests calling for Schurr to be charged over the shooting, Lyoyas family, attorneys and national figures like the Rev. Al Sharpton had called for Schurr to be charged.

In a statement, Ben Crump, one of the familys attorneys, said the decision to charge was encouraging and called it a "crucial step in the right direction."

Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said the city will continue to evaluate its policing standards in the wake of the shooting.

City officials will examinehow officers are trained to interact during traffic stops and when traffic stops should occur, how the city conducts investigations into officers after shootings, and how officers are trained to wear and use body cameras, City Manager Mark Washington said.

Schurr's body-worn camera was deactivated during the struggle with Lyoya.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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Patrick Lyoya shooting: Grand Rapids officer charged with murder - USA TODAY

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp won his Republican primary with broad support, though former President Donald Trump backed a well-known challenger to the incumbent. John Bazemore/AP hide caption

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp won his Republican primary with broad support, though former President Donald Trump backed a well-known challenger to the incumbent.

Former President Donald Trump has been a near-constant presence in this year's Republican primaries. Candidates have eagerly sought his endorsement, with some making a pilgrimage to his Mar-a-Lago estate to ask for his support in person.

Trump has at times used his endorsement as a tool of revenge, in an attempt to take down GOP officeholders who have crossed him most notably those who did not support his effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

But with several weeks of primaries now complete, a trend has emerged: Republican voters even those who maintain Trump was a great president are not marching in lockstep with him. Many are instead bucking his endorsements.

"Republican voters are not monolithic," veteran GOP strategist Dallas Woodhouse said. "They are not falling all over each other waiting to hear who Trump endorses to make their decision." Yes, it is a factor, Woodhouse added, "and it can be a big factor, but it's not necessarily the determinant factor."

Some voters undoubtedly have been waiting on Trump. Take Kathy Deal, for instance. When she spoke with NPR back in March, the resident of Lancaster, Ohio, was undecided and eager to hear from Trump on the state's Republican candidates for U.S. Senate.

"That would definitely seal it for sure, it would seal it," Deal said, weeks before Trump made a late endorsement of Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance, who would go on to win the nomination.

It was a very different story for one voter weeks later in Pennsylvania. Seventy-one-year-old Trump supporter Bob Rapp was not pleased that the former president had endorsed celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz in the GOP Senate contest there. Rapp told NPR in April that he doesn't think Oz is even a conservative.

"Some of his stances have been pretty liberal on his TV show," Rapp said. "I'm just concerned that he may be a RINO [Republican in name only]."

But that didn't mean being at odds with Trump over Oz had affected his strong admiration for the former president.

"No, because it's his prerogative," Rapp said. "You don't agree with your leaders 100% of the time." He maintained firmly that Trump's endorsement wouldn't sway him.

Oz did eventually win the nomination in an extremely close contest. Rapp told NPR later that he voted for businessman Dave McCormick, who conceded during a recount.

Though Mehmet Oz, a Trump-backed Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, narrowly won his primary, many conservative voters had doubts about him. Ted Shaffrey/AP hide caption

Taking a broad look at how Trump's endorsements have fared so far, his win-loss record is strong, but a lot of that is because mostly he backs popular incumbents or frontrunners, like Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who didn't really need his support to secure a nomination.

In other contests Trump's record is more mixed.

"Trump's endorsement is not a magic wand or a silver bullet," said Sarah Longwell, a longtime GOP consultant and the publisher of The Bulwark website.

She's been watching the impact of Trump endorsements and notes that in certain situations it can provide a big boost, especially in highly competitive races with lots of candidates. In such contests, Trump's support can mean more press coverage and create momentum. Longwell says that's what happened in Ohio's U.S. Senate primary.

"Where there's a big group of Republicans, and they're all battling it out, and they're all telling the voters how terrible their opponents are, and people are kind of not sure who they like, and when Trump comes in with an endorsement, it tends to kind of elevate people in these races," she said.

Longwell says that laundry list of factors all aligned to help Vance win in Ohio.

But not all of Trump's picks get such a boost, especially when they are the challenger attempting to knock off an incumbent with high name recognition and a track record.

Take Georgia, where Trump put his credibility on the line by endorsing challengers to a pair of Republican incumbents Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Both men crossed Trump when they rebuffed his requests that they use their power to overturn Trump's loss in Georgia in the 2020 election. Trump based his endorsements in these races entirely on his lie that the 2020 election was stolen, and that these two elected officials betrayed him by not supporting him in that falsehood.

But there was a problem for Trump in these contests: Kemp and Raffensperger each had a broad base of support among GOP voters, and each had a record of accomplishment that could compete with Trump's bid for vengeance.

Longwell has been conducting regular focus groups with Trump supporters. In a session with Georgia voters, she heard from people like Laura (focus group members are only identified by their first name), who was still undecided about her vote, but who still had good things to say about the governor.

"I like what Brian Kemp has done," Laura said, "and I liked how he handled COVID." Then for emphasis, she added: "The state seems to be running smoothly to me."

It's not known who Laura eventually cast her ballot for, but it is known that Kemp won reelection by a margin of more than 50 percentage points. Raffensperger won his primary too, also by a substantial margin of 19 points.

Then there's an example in North Carolina, where even a Trump endorsement couldn't save scandal-plagued Congressman Madison Cawthorn in his primary.

GOP strategist Woodhouse says Trump may have actually helped Cawthorn in what was a very tough primary from a conservative challenger. At the very least, Woodhouse said, "Nobody is going to blame the president for Cawthorn's loss because Cawthorn had had a long series of self-inflicted wounds."

Still, he says, it does help demonstrate how a Trump endorsement has limits.

Woodhouse says a key part of all this is the overall makeup of the races in Republican primaries this year and likely into the near future.

In contest after contest, voters are not choosing between a Trump-endorsed candidate and an anti-Trump candidate. Most every GOP hopeful runs on a pro-Trump list of issues. Sometimes that includes support for the lie that Trump really won in 2020, but it also always includes support for Trump's positions and rhetoric on issues like building a southern border wall and getting tough with China on trade with lots of cultural issues thrown in.

"I mean, any candidates going forward are going to adopt those core issues that were part of the America First agenda," Woodhouse said.

So even if his candidate loses, Trump's issues are very much on the winning side in these primaries.

And there's another potentially significant impact Trump is having in the primaries: He's endorsing candidates far down the ballot, for local races, something unheard of for a former president.

Longwell said that allows Republicans to increase their presence in key local offices that don't typically get a lot of attention on Election Day, "which allows people who are totally unknown, and maybe even in many cases running unopposed for offices that people pay almost no attention to, to raise some money, to gain some profile."

For the GOP, she said, it's a matter of building a deep bench of officeholders "to really fill that with people who are very much in Donald Trump's image."

And that could end being Trump's biggest impact on the 2022 elections.

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Some Trump voters buck the former president in GOP primaries - NPR

Rep. Chris Jacobs (R-N.Y.) criticized the increased polarization of both political parties on Sunday after he dropped out of his reelection race following his voicing support for gun control proposals.

Appearing on CNNs State of the Union, Jacobs told co-anchor Dana Bash that he is the only sitting Republican lawmaker in favor of an assault weapons ban, comparing himself to Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), the only anti-abortion Democrat in the House.

Our parties are very polarized right now, Jacobs said. And I dont think thats good for the parties. I dont think thats good for democracy, and I think thats one reason why Washington is not working.

Jacobs had announced his support for an assault weapons ban in the wake of high-profile mass shootings at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas and a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., which is close to Jacobs district.

In the days after voicing his support for such a ban, GOP officials who endorsed Jacobs rescinded their support. Jacobs announced he would not run for a second term about a week later.

Jacobs said on Sunday he supports an assault weapons ban because proposals put forth by his Republican colleagues felt hollow.

Last week, Jacobs bucked his party by voting for both gun control packages put to a vote on the House floor by Democrats.

The first package, dubbed the Protecting Our Kids Act, included provisions to raise the minimum purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 and to ban civilians from using high-capacity magazines.

Jacobs also voted in favor of the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, which would create a national red flag law, alongside four other Republicans.

Those bills wont pass the Senate, but Jacobs on Sunday said he was hopeful that a bipartisan group of senators that has been meeting in recent days could find common ground on a gun-related package.

Jacobs told Bash that the longtime debate over gun control has broken down over a lack of trust between gun owners and lawmakers favoring more regulation, arguing gun control is an urban-rural debate.

Theres not a trust right now between those people and others on this discussion, because its been so heated,

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NY Republican decries polarized parties after dropping out of reelection race - The Hill

In Ohio, state-level candidates have raised $39.6 million between Jan. 1, 2021, and Apr. 13, 2022. Democratic candidates have raised $9.5 million and Republican candidates spent $29.4 million.

In the 2022 election cycle, 172 state-level Democrats have filed campaign finance reports with the Ohio Secretary of State. Here are the 10 Democratic candidates who have raised the most.

During the same time period, 197 Republicans have filed campaign finance reports with the Ohio Secretary of State. These are the 10 Republican candidates with the highest reported donations for the 2022 election cycle so far.

In some states, officeholders may accept donations to their campaign accounts when they are not up for election. Those donations are included in candidate campaign finance numbers.

The data above are based on campaign finance reports that active Ohio candidate PACs submitted to the Ohio Secretary of State. Transparency USA publishes campaign finance data following major reporting deadlines. State or federal law may require filers to submit additional reports.

This article is a joint publication from Ballotpedia and Transparency USA, who are working together to provide campaign finance information for state-level elections. Learn more about our work here.

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Ohio Republican candidates have raised $19.9 million more than Democrats Ballotpedia News - Ballotpedia News

Late nights talking shop in their Lincoln apartments. Shooting the breeze over meals at the Capitol.

Thats how State Sen. Mike Flood and former veteran Nebraska legislators Ed Schrock and Jim Cudaback recall Floods first years, 2005 and 2006, in the Legislature.

Flood, a Norfolk civic leader, businessman, broadcaster and attorney, went on to become Nebraskas longest-serving speaker of the Legislature and one of the youngest (he says another speaker was a month younger). He was term-limited out in 2013 after two terms and, after a required break, returned to the Legislature in 2021 after winning an uncontested race.

Now, he is the Republican candidate in a June 28 special election to fill out the remainder of Jeff Fortenberrys term representing Nebraskas 1st Congressional District. Fortenberry resigned after being found guilty of three felonies related to taking illegal campaign contributions. Early voting is already underway in the race.

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Flood, 47, also is the Republican nominee in the November general election for the seats two-year term that starts in January. In both races, hell face Democrat Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln.

Flood said the hours spent listening to the stories of experienced lawmakers like Schrock and Cudaback helped him understand the workings of the Legislature and, in turn, become more effective at his job. He said hed bring the same approach to the U.S. House of Representatives.

To be successful in the Legislature, its about relationships and earning peoples trust, Flood said.

In Congress, Flood would represent all or parts of 12 eastern Nebraska counties, including the communities of Lincoln, Bellevue, Norfolk and Columbus. The 1st District seat is open for the first time since 2004, when Fortenberry was elected to the first of his nine terms.

Leading figures in the Nebraska Republican Party, including Gov. Pete Ricketts and former Gov. Dave Heineman, threw their weight behind Flood even before Fortenberry was found guilty. Their concern had been that Fortenberrys indictment could lead to a Democrat taking the seat.

Nationally, the Republican Party hopes to flip the House of Representatives red, and Republicans say holding onto the 1st Congressional District is key to doing so.

The relationships Flood built in the Legislature have stood the test of time, his former colleagues say.

(Mike) is very knowledgeable and engaged, he is very fair and capable, Schrock said. Id vote for him if I was in his district Id vote for him twice.

Cudaback described Flood as someone who wasnt full of himself and was willing to learn.

The thing I like about Mike is he can see the big picture, Cudaback said.

Floods campaign page mirrors the language of current politics, describing the nation as being at a crossroads between prosperity and socialism; traditional values or liberal wokeness.

Asked about polarization in politics and how, as a congressman, he would represent all the people of his district, Flood said: As a member of my party, I want to effect change that will help everybody in the district by creating opportunities, both economic development opportunities and educational opportunities and by making decisions that will make our nation safe. Ill do that by connecting with people and spending time with all the communities of the 1st District.

The district leans Republican by 11 points, according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index.

Floods business background is in communications and broadcast media. In 1999, he launched the Norfolk-based country music radio station US92. Since then, hes added another 14 radio stations and five television stations across Nebraska. His media network provides local content, from news to high school sports.

These hyperlocal stations help strengthen their Nebraska communities, said Floods friend and business collaborator Dan Spray.

Ive never met anyone as passionate about rural Nebraska or Nebraska in general as Mike, he said.

Flood was born in Omaha and grew up in Norfolk.

At one time, he had his sights on the Governors Mansion, not Congress. In 2012, Flood announced he would run to replace Heineman, who was being term-limited out. The night he announced his candidacy, his wife, Mandi, discovered a lump on her breast. It turned out to be a fast-growing cancer. Flood dropped out of the race to be with his family.

Fortunately, we look back today and shes healthy, everyone is fine, he said.

Flood said he is undaunted by the challenges of serving in Congress, which include splitting time between the district and Washington, D.C., and running on a two-year election cycle. His two children, ages 15 and 12, will finish out their school years in Norfolk. He says he relishes the idea of serving in Congress.

I personally think it takes as much or more skill to be effective in the legislative branch than it does in any other. ... I enjoy the pluralized nature of being in the Legislature. There are so many different voices, he said. It really is the marketplace of ideas.

As a state senator, Flood represents all of Madison County, where Norfolk is located, and part of Pierce County.

Flood said his enthusiasm for the congressional seat has grown as he has campaigned across the district, meeting and talking with people.

Its given my decision to run even more depth, he said. People are really wanting to have a conversation with their congressman.

Abortion: Should be banned in all cases except to save the life of the mother, with no exception for rape or incest. As speaker of the Legislature, Flood successfully promoted a bill that made Nebraska the first state in the nation to ban abortions upon 20 weeks proponents argued that is the point at which the fetus can feel pain. Flood took criticism in campaign ads by Fortenberry for voting to provide prenatal care to prospective mothers, regardless of their immigration status. Its a vote I dont regret, he said. There was only one choice and that is to be pro-life when its hard as well as when its easy.

Immigration: Opposes citizenship and welfare benefits for anyone in the country illegally, including Dreamers those immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. He said Dreamers should have a way of continuing to live and work in the U.S. but without a path to citizenship and not before Americas southern border is secure. Flood favors finishing the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Climate change: Initially said that humans are the dominant cause, which is in sync with scientific findings. Flood subsequently clarified his views by saying humans may be a contributing factor. Other countries such as China and India need to take it as seriously as lawmakers in the United States, he said. Flood sees carbon sequestration as an economic opportunity for Nebraska. He supports the for-now derailed Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast, traversing Nebraska.

As a civic leader in the Norfolk area, Flood has focused heavily on economic development in northeast Nebraska and has helped with an ambitious plan called Northeast Nebraska Growing Together. It aims to transform the region, focusing on information technology and young adults. The goal is to make the area attractive to 20-somethings and young families.

It includes a scholarship program that provides students an education at Wayne State College, but requires that they live and work their senior year in Norfolk. Other legs to the program include the arts, housing, retraining workers whose existing jobs are disappearing and providing young families with free child care.

Courtney Dentlinger, who has worked in economic development in Nebraska in various capacities over the years, including two years as Ricketts economic development director, described Flood as an effective partner.

Hes very forward-thinking and pragmatic, she said. Hes great at building coalitions and getting things done. Hes really got Nebraskans best interests at heart.

Jerry Swiercek uses a leaf blower to clear hail and leaves stripped from trees following a hail storm outside the home he shares with his wife, Annette, at 44th Avenue and F Street in Omaha on Tuesday evening.

Haydn Nichols, 9, rides the Musical Chairs ride during Taste of Omaha at Elmwood Park in Omaha on Friday.

Drone photography after a three-alarm fire at the Nox-Crete chemical warehouse in Omaha on Tuesday.

Andrea Vanderheyden, the artist behind this community art project, ties a ribbon to help create a pride flag on the corner of the Ashton building on Tuesday to kick off the start to Pride month.

A man sprays down the roof of a neighboring building while also filming the scene of a three-alarm fire at Nox-Crete, Inc., 1415 S. 20th St on Monday.

Lighting can be seen behind the scene of a three-alarm fire at Nox-Crete, Inc., 1415 S. 20th St on Monday.

Flames shoot up at the scene of a three-alarm fire at Nox-Crete, Inc., 1415 S. 20th St on Monday.

Ben Crawford, a Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act assistant with the Winnebago Tribal Historic Preservation Office, watches as dogs search for the cemetery site.

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Republican Flood says his connections, experience needed in Congress - Omaha World-Herald