Interim Chief Joe Trigg Presents Data on Officer Shootings to City Commission

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Grand Rapids Interim Police Chief Joe Trigg presented detailed data on 10 officer-involved shootings to city commissioners on Tuesday, March 31, as part of an ongoing review requested by the city's Public Safety Committee.

The review covers officer-involved shooting incidents from 2022 through mid-2026, excluding two fatal cases that remain under investigation or litigation.

Two Cases Still Under Review

Trigg could not discuss the city's two most controversial shootings — the February 2026 killing of Da'Quain Johnson and the April 2022 killing of Patrick Lyoya — because those cases remain unresolved.

"The Johnson shooting is still under review and the Lyoya shooting remains unresolved because of civil litigation," Trigg told commissioners.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker has yet to rule on the Johnson case, which has sparked protests and marches as critics question whether the killing was necessary.

Data Shows Surge in Illegal Guns

The 10 reviewed cases occurred against a backdrop of a significant increase in illegally possessed firearms in Grand Rapids. Trigg's data shows confiscated illegal guns spiked after the pandemic:

• 2019: 285 confiscations
• 2020: 366 confiscations
• 2021: 575 confiscations
• 2022: 527 confiscations
• 2023: 445 confiscations
• 2024: 463 confiscations
• 2025: 482 confiscations

So far in 2026, there have been 87 illegal gun confiscations.

"It just goes to show you the dangers our men and women face. There are just a lot more guns in people's hands these days and our men and women are out there trying to remove them from the street," Trigg said.

The 10 Reviewed Officer-Involved Shootings

Trigg's compilation shows that in each of the 10 cases, Kent County prosecutors ruled the officers acted in self-defense and were justified in the shootings.

June 24, 2022 — An officer approached a vehicle that didn't have its lights on. The driver fired several rounds at the officer and the officer returned fire as the vehicle sped away.

Aug. 25, 2022 — Officers responded to a report of a person breaking into cars. A man who matched the suspect description pointed a gun at police and officers fired, wounding him.

Dec. 1, 2022 — Officers were looking for a person wanted for murder. They tried to contact a man, but he fired multiple rounds at an occupied cruiser. He escaped and later was found near a school and ordered to drop a gun. An officer fired after the man raised a gun at him. The suspect later took his own life.

Oct. 27, 2023 — Officers responded to a gunfight outside a bar. One officer noticed a green laser light and spotted a person with a rifle point in his direction. The officer fired but did not strike anyone. Two people from non-police gunfire.

Dec. 16, 2023 — Police responded to a report of a man trying to steal from a store. Officers confronted him and he came at them twice with a box cutter. Two different officers fired and wounded the man.

March 2, 2024 — Officers tried to stop a vehicle without a license plate. The driver jumped out, fled and pointed a gun at officers as he ran. An officer fired his weapon but did not strike the man.

Nov. 9, 2024 — Police responded to a report of a man waving a handgun outside Trinity Health Grand Rapids hospital. An officer told them man to drop the gun, but he then pointed the object at the officer and came toward him. Other officers fired at the man and he died. The gun turned out to be a lighter shaped like a gun.

Sept. 25, 2025 — Police responded to a report of a man who would not leave his brother's house. After talking extensively with the man, he grabbed a knife and officer exited the house. Later, the man came out of the house and charged at officers with the knife. Officers fired as the man ran toward another officer whose gun malfunctioned. The man was wounded.

Nov. 11, 2025 — Police attempted to stop a person suspected in a firearm larceny. The man fired shots at officers while fleeing. Officers returned fire but did not hit anyone.

Dec. 6, 2025 — Police responded to a report of a man who reportedly pointed a gun at his mother and threatened to kill her. Later, they located the man and, during a high-risk traffic stop, the man began firing at officers while stepping out of a vehicle. Officers returned fire and fatally wounded the man.

Community Demands Accountability

The request for data on officer-involved shootings came during the Feb. 24 Public Safety Committee meeting, about a week after a GRPD officer shot and killed Johnson and about a week before Winstrom's final day as chief.

"I believe that the community does have a right, in all sincerity, to explore since 2022, those 12 police involved shootings in some particular way," Grand Rapids Public Safety Committee member Rev. Dr. Willie A. Gholston II said during that meeting. "We're all accountable in some particular way. Citizens are accountable, police are accountable, we all are accountable. And, one life is too many, too many that continue to be lost...we are hoping, in all sincerity that, we'll be able to find out more as it pertains to why things are, are the way they are."

The committee is seeking greater transparency and understanding of the incidents that have led to these shootings.

Ongoing Investigation

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker is still reviewing the Da'Quain Johnson case, which has drawn significant attention from the community and civil rights advocates. The investigation is ongoing as authorities examine the circumstances surrounding the February shooting.

The Lyoya case remains unresolved due to pending civil litigation that prevents the city from discussing certain details publicly.

What Happens Next

The city continues to work with Kent County Prosecutors to ensure thorough investigations into all officer-involved shootings. The Public Safety Committee has expressed concern about the frequency of these incidents and is calling for increased accountability measures.

Trigg's presentation included specific details about each case, showing that in every instance reviewed, prosecutors determined the officers acted in self-defense. The data also highlights the broader public safety challenges the department faces, including the surge in illegally possessed firearms throughout the region.

Sources

• https://michiganadvance.com/2026/03/26/lawyers-for-man-killed-by-grand-rapids-police-officer-raise-questions-about-investigative-reports/
• https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2026/03/since-2022-grand-rapids-officers-cleared-in-10-police-shootings-data.html
• https://wwmt.com/news/local/grand-rapids-police-chief-details-10-officer-involved-shootings-since-2022-joe-trigg-winstrom-daquain-public-safety-committee