VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach police shot a Richmond man on Friday who they say had a knife, according to the Virginia Beach Police Department.
Around 1:15 p.m. on Friday, Virginia Beach police got a call about a person walking through traffic with a knife. Officers arrived at the 2800 block of Shore Drive and found a 24-year-old man from Richmond at the beach shoreline with an 11" knife.
Officers tried to talk the man down and told him to drop his knife, but the suspect did not listen, according to VBPD. Officers then shot a less-lethal "sponge round" from an SAGE launcher, which they called "not effective," so an officer shot the man.
They immediately gave him medical attention and he was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The officer who shot him is on temporary Critical Incident Leave, which is standard protocol, according to VBPD.
The VBPD Detective Bureau and the Virginia Beach Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney will both conduct separate, independent investigations, then VBPD Internal Affairs will go through an administrative review.
This incident remains under investigation.
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