No charges filed against Richmond police officer who shot, killed woman in May

RICHMOND, Va. — No charges will be filed against the Richmond police officer who shot and killed a woman at the Belt Atlantic apartment complex back in May, according to the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney declined prosecution of the police officer following a review of apartment security footage, according to a statement sent to CBS 6.

The statement reads in part:

“The woman had already fired her weapon multiple times, causing innocent people to flee the apartment stairwell, and then pointed her weapon at the officer as he tried to help them. The officer fired in defense of others and in self-defense.”

The Richmond Police Department says the officer is still on paid administrative leave as RPD continues an internal investigation into the shooting.

Officers received a call for a shooting in progress at the South Richmond complex at 6:47 p.m. on May 7. As officers arrived on scene, they heard additional gunshots and were directed by bystanders to a person upstairs in the apartment building, police said.

While climbing the stairwell, Police Chief Rick Edwards said officers heard four gunshots. He said one officer then confronted a woman holding a gun.

An officer ordered her to drop her weapon, before shooting her.

Officers tried rendering aid to Jazmin Wooten-Mitchell, 31. She was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.

Watch previous coverage: Sources share details about Richmond woman shot by police

According to Crime Insider sources, Wooten-Mitchell was a mother of two and lost the father of one of her children the day before the shooting.

Sources say she made a post on social media prior to the incident indicating she was in crisis due to her grief.

The woman's children were not home at the time, and no one else was injured, Edwards said.

"This is a tragic day," Edwards said at a press conference in May. "A person lost their lives and an officer had to do something that none of us joined this police department to do, which is take another person's life. So it's a sad day all around."

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