Local News
Man charged after firing at police outside GRTC headquarters
RICHMOND, Va. — A man who fired shots at a Southside gas station and pointed his gun at a GRTC staff member was shot by officers Saturday night after he fired at them, according to Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards.
Officers were called to the 300 block of Belt Boulevard, which is not far from the department's Second Precinct location, for a report of an armed person around 8:55 p.m., according to emergency communication logs.
"Very shortly after that, that call was upgraded to shots fired," said Edwards, who provided additional details about the incident during a news conference just before 11 p.m.
WATCH: Man shot by police fired at officers outside GRTC headquarters, chief says
Several witnesses told Jon Burkett that they saw the man with a gun who "appeared to be agitated" in the parking lot of a gas station before he walked to GRTC headquarters.
A witness told Burkett that the suspect was walking around, shooting into the GRTC building.
Edwards said officers arrived within minutes and confronted the suspect.
"That male discharged his firearm at the officers. They returned fire and struck him," Edwards said.
The chief clarified the sequence of events, explaining that the suspect had moved from the initial location at the gas station to the GRTC headquarters.
"He was walking, he was on foot towards the headquarters, pointed his gun at a staff member," Edwards said. "Additional 911 calls came in, and then the officers responded directly over there and came into contact with him. They ordered him to drop his firearm, and then he discharged it and they returned fire."
The suspect suffered life-threatening injuries.
"He was treated at the scene by the officers initially and then taken to a local hospital," Edwards said.
No officers were injured in the incident, according to Edwards.
Both of the officers have been placed on administrative paid leave, which is department policy, Edwards said.
The chief said the department will consult with the Richmond Commonwealth Attorney's Office to determine potential charges.
Edwards also addressed social media speculation about the incident.
"I'm getting some calls and there's some social media buzz that this may be ICE-related," Edwards said. "Obviously, this is simply Richmond Police Department involved in this. Two officers were involved, but no other agencies were a part of this incident."
SCENE VIDEO: Man shot by police near GRTC headquarters in Richmond
As a result of the shooting, roughly one city block of Belt Boulevard was blocked off and closed to traffic for about an hour.
The investigation is ongoing, with forensics teams continuing their work and police reviewing additional video evidence.
"We're looking for additional videos. We're asking anyone with information to come forward and contact us if they happen to witness any part of this incident," Edwards said.
If you have information that could help investigators, call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000 or submit a tip online at https://rvacrimestoppers.org. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones may also be used. All three Crime Stoppers methods of contact are anonymous.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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