NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Authorities arrested a Yorktown man with an outstanding warrant in Port Warwick Tuesday after he allegedly shot at Newport News Police Officers who were trying to take him into custody
Even though Deston Coward, 22, fired at officers and officers shot back, nobody was hurt, a police spokesperson said.
The exchange happened around 10:45 at an apartment complex.
Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew says Coward fired one round and officers responded with several shots.
A release from NNPD said officers were trying to apprehend Coward, who had warrants out of James City County. Chief Drew says the warrants involved violating probation in connection to an assault charge against a police officer.
Five officers ended up chasing the Yorktown man near Nat Turner Boulevard, and that's when he's reported to have started shooting a gun at them.
Coward was stopped when a citizen grabbed him and held him until officers could make the arrest.
On top of the York County warrant for probation violation, and James City County warrants for three counts of grand larceny, Coward will face charges out of Newport News related to the Port Warwick chase.
Wednesday, police said those would be: attempted capital murder, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by felon.
Chief Drew says this was the department's first officer-involved shooting of the calendar year. Evidence will be handed to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to investigate if any wrongdoing was committed in the incident.