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Neighbors react to officer-involved shooting in Newport News

"I can't sleep knowing this happened right next door."

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Nantucket Place residents are still grasping for answers after learning a neighbor lost his life Friday night. 

"We had to sit in there scared because we didn't know what was going," said a neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous. 

Officers went to the 100 block of Nantucket Place around 8:15 p.m. after a man made numerous calls to 911 dispatchers starting early Friday afternoon.

Police went to the man's apartment with plans to charge him with abusing the 911 system. According to Chief Drew, the man answered the door in an agitated state and officers asked him to step outside, but he darted back inside.

The officers entered the apartment and a short struggle began to ensue between the man and one officer. In the duration of the struggle, three more officers got involved in the struggle.

Chief Drew said the man was resisting as the struggle continued and one officer tased the man to get him under control. The man then grabbed the Taser and fired it at the officers. Another officer drew his firearm and fired it at the suspect.

After the officers tried life-saving techniques and calling medics and other first responders to the apartment, the man ended up dying. 

Longtime resident Mark Mahn wasn't surprised to see police at an apartment that emergency vehicles had visited before.

"My thoughts were just whatever has been wrong over there has now come to something tragic," Mahn said. "So, I just knew it was going to be bad."

Residents said the man had only lived in the complex for a few months. His license plate was from out of state. They said he kept to himself. Another said it always seemed like something wasn't quite right and they would often offer words of encouragement. 

"I can't sleep knowing this happened right next door, like this is right out your door," the neighbor said. 

Many wonder if the man suffered from mental illness after hearing about the numerous 9-1-1 calls that led police to his door. 

"Only someone mentally ill or maybe intoxicated would be doing that," the neighbor said.

That thought hit close to home for Mahn. 

"I have a severely disabled son," Mahn said. "I worry how things might be for him when he is older, how he might be perceived if he is under distress."

Many residents wished something was done sooner. 

"Knowing that there were vehicles there before, could maybe something have been done sooner than last night," Mahn wondered. "So, maybe it didn't escalate into something there wasn't a good solution for."

Newport News Police said more information should be released Monday.

RELATED: Man dies after struggle escalates to officer-involved shooting in Newport News

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