The case of Christopher Schurr entered day five of testimony with the former Grand Rapids police officer taking the stand in his own defense.

Schurr is on trial for shooting and killing Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop. A jury must decide if the shooting was justified.

This is the first time Schurr has spoken publicly about the April 2022 incident.

Schurr's defense attorney asked him, "Do you understand you have a right not to testify?"

"I do," Schurr replied.

His attorney then asked, "Why are you testifying?"

Schurr explained, "I feel like it's important to get my side of the story out."

The former officer relived April 4, 2022. He said he stopped Lyoya because Lyoya's license plate didn't match the vehicle.

Officer-worn body camera and other video from that day played in court.

Schurr said after commanding Lyoya to get back in his vehicle four or five times, Lyoya tried to get away and then a three-minute scuffle ensued.

The former officer said he pulled out his taser because kneeing Lyoya several times wasn't doing anything. When Lyoya grabbed his taser, Schurr said he feared for his life. Schurr's defense attorney referenced Schurr's formal training in which he said he was taught that "action beats reaction."

The defense asked, "What does that mean here in that scenario for you?"

Schurr replied, "If I had waited for him to point it at me, it would have been too late."

His attorney then asked, "What were you fearful of?"

Schurr said, "That he was going to use it on me, and I was going to die."

His attorney said, "Under your training, Chris, are you required to wait to be seriously injured or killed before you can resort to deadly force?

"No," Schurr replied.

His attorney followed up with, "So what did you do next?"

"I shot him," Schurr recalled.

The defense asked, "Why?"

Schurr explained, "I believe that if I had not done it at that time, I wasn't going to go home."

However, during cross-examination, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker suggested Lyoya was simply trying to get away and that nothing indicated Lyoya wanted to hurt Schurr.

Prosecutor Becker said, "He never said he was going to kill you, right?"

Schurr replied, "No."

Becker said, "Never said he was going to hit you."

Schurr replied, "No."

Becker said, "Never said he was going to kick your butt or do anything bad to you."

Schurr said, "Not that I recall. No."

The prosecutor then said, "This entire incident he was trying to get away from you."

Schurr said, "Up until the end."

Becker replied, "When you were on top of him, right?"

Schurr said, "I was on top of him. Yeah."

Becker said, "And he was trying to push himself up."

Schurr replied, "Yes."

The prosecutor said, "And you thought he was going to turn the taser on you."

Schurr said, "That's what I believed. Yes."

Becker asked, "That's what you believed?"

"Yes," Schurr replied.

The defense then called two law enforcement experts to the stand to testify on decision-making and reaction time. Both suggested a lot is at play in the heat of the moment. Testimony resumes Monday.

Also on Friday, Attorney Benjamin Crump held a press conference with the Lyoya family. He said a traffic stop doesn't warrant a death sentence.

Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero is seeking reelection, but Detroit's city clerk says she's disqualified.

So, Santiago-Romero is suing.

Friday afternoon, she addressed a crowd of supporters at Clark Park in southwest Detroit. She and her adviser Charlie Widmaier explained a campaign filing discrepancy with the Wayne County Clerks Office. That discrepancy caused Detroits city clerk to disqualify Santiago-Romero from the primary.

The reason being a fee that was owed stemming back to last October. Were contending the fee should have never been owed," Widmaier told 7 News Detroit.

He said it involves a supposed late fee for a report due in late October.

We submitted a report on October 25th. We have confirmation right here if anyone would like to see it. This is from Wayne County confirming they got the report. Theyre now contending the first time we filed the report was on November 8th, which is incorrect," he explained.

Widmaier said Santiago-Romero called, emailed and went to the county clerks office with no resolve. So, her team has filed a lawsuit against the city clerk to get back on the ballot.

We have our receipts. We have documentation thankfully, but thats what happened. Theres missing information from the county side, and were just hoping that they except our receipts, Santiago-Romero told 7 News Detroit.

If she loses the lawsuit, she'll have to run as a write-in candidate. She said she's prepared to do that.

Im hoping that theyre going to see that the evidence shows what happened and that theyre going to say that she is qualified and get her back in the race, supporter Julie Lindsey said.

Joel Reyes-Klann, a plaintiff on the filing and supporter of Santiago-Romero, said I really would like to see councilmember get back on the ballot, so she can focus on getting the campaign started and not have to do a write-in campaign.

7 News Detroit reached out to the city clerk's office. As of news time, we have not heard back.

Wayne County Clerk's Office spokesman Dorian Tyus told 7 News Detroit: Our office does not have a statement at this time due to pending litigation."

Late Friday afternoon, Widmaier said he did receive a fee waiver from the county clerks office. However, he said it doesnt necessarily resolve the issue.

On Friday, 7 News Detroit stopped by the Inkster home raided by police and the FBI on Thursday. Authorities zeroed in on the property as they investigate the disappearance of 17-year-old London Thomas.

During our door knock on Friday, a woman opened the door and said they're not talking. She closed the door before I could get in another word.

Inkster Police Chief Tamika Jenkins told 7 News Detroit that Thomas' 23-year-old boyfriend, who lives at the home with other family members, is now considered a person of interest.

Previous coverage: FBI and police search Inkster home of missing teen London Thomas' boyfriend FBI and police raid Inkster home of missing teen London Thomas' boyfriend

His neighbor, Jasmynne Allen said "he weird. Hes weird.

When asked in what way, she said "hes just strange.

Allen, who streamed the raid on social media in hopes of spreading the word, said shes lived across the street for eight years.

She said she learned of Thomas' disappearance a week ago "when the FBI knocked on my door." She said they were looking for any surveillance footage.

Related video: 'We knew nothing.' Family searches for 17-year-old London Thomas in Westland 'We know nothing.' Family searches for 17-year-old London Thomas in Westland

Jenkins said investigators searched for DNA evidence after receiving concerning information they found during phone extractions."

She said Thomas was last seen in Inkster on April 5. Her phone pinged in Westland near Cooper Upper Elementary on Ann Arbor Trail.

But the chief said it last pinged in Detroit and the Detroit Police Department is the lead agency.

Watch our full interview with London Thomas' mom in the video player below: Full interview: Mom of London Thomas talks about daughter's disappearance

Everybody wants to know where is London? I want to know where is London. Im a mother, Allen said.

While on Carlyle Street, Julia Rapley, a family friend of Thomas, drove by the home and stopped to speak with us.

Its a hurting thing to see a kid come up and missing and she hasnt lived her life. Shes 17-years-old. I dont know. Right now, Im discombobulated about it," Rapley said.

To keep her mind busy and try to get the answers the family is desperately seeking, Rapley said shes been out searching.

I tried. I ride around the city of Inkster, go by the woods where the trees and stuff at, calling her name, maybe she's tied up or something. I dont wanna think the worse 'cause God does make miracles. So, it just hurts right now. It hurts for her and the rest of the kids thats missing, she explained.

7 News Detroit has been in touch Thomas' family. Her father said loved ones are, of course, waiting for updates from police.

Anyone with information about Thomas' whereabouts is urged to immediately contact Inkster police at 313-563-9850 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

A community is grieving after a 6-year-old child was hit and killed by an ice cream truck in Detroit on Monday.

The victim's father spoke briefly with 7 News Detroit and shared a picture of his son, 6-year-old Mubarak Walid.

"It's a lot of people crying, the police covered up the body for the kids and the ice cream truck (driver), the police also held him and he crying, and it's a a lot," said Yeser Elnahari, a family friend of the victim and neighbor.

Elnahari said the neighborhood looks out for one another as a community and that now they are offering support to the family.

VIDEO: INTERVIEW: Yeser Elnahari, a neighbor and family friend, talks about the boy who was killed on Monday INTERVIEW: Yeser Elnahari, a neighbor and family friend, talks about boy who was killed by ice cream truck

"He's funny boy... and he lovely. Everyone... love him actually and he know all the kid's names. He's so fast," Elnahari said.

Elnahari mentioned that Mubarak's birthday was coming up and that the neighbors usually throw parties on the kids' birthdays.

The incident happened around 7 p.m. on Monday near Rutland Street and Diversey Avenue.

Police said the driver, a man, stayed at the scene and is cooperating with police.

Video: Detroit Police Department Capt. Shannon Hampton provides information to reporters Detroit police provide information after child hit, killed by ice cream truck

This time of year with the weather breaking, its very important that everybodys mindful that the children are out and theyre playing. If you see school buses and ice cream trucks, just slow down a little bit, look around, check your surroundings before proceeding past them," Detroit Police Department Capt. Shannon Hampton told reporters on Monday. "Its a very tragic scene.

It's unclear what led up to the incident.

The homicide fatal squad is investigating, Hampton said.

We made sure that we brought plenty of resources including our chaplain squad to make sure theyre here to support the officers as well as the family. Were just here to pray for the family right now, Hampton said.

Anyone with information can call Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.