NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A man is dead after a confrontation with Newport News police officers Monday afternoon.
In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Police Chief Steve Drew identified the man as 39-year-old Aaron Dusinberre. Drew said Dusinberre was sitting on a bench outside of his apartment complex in the 500 block of Crown Court with what appeared to be a gun in his lap.
When officers got on the scene around 5:43 p.m., they found Dusinberre in an "agitated state."
"Aaron was in an agitated state. He was frustrated," Drew said. "He talked a little bit about some things going on in his life that contributed to frustration."
For about 10 to 15 minutes, a crisis intervention officer attempted to de-escalate the situation. Police claim that in response, Dusinberre told them he had no intention of dropping his weapon and shared he had suicidal ideations.
Dusinberre was asked several times to drop his gun but police said he eventually pointed the weapon in the direction of the officers. The officers then fired their weapons, striking the man, who collapsed on the ground.
According to police, they then immediately rushed to provide aid and transported him to a local hospital shortly after, where he later died.
Forensic units later determined the weapon the man had been wielding was a BB gun without an orange tip.
No officers were hurt, but the three officers involved were placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the completion of the investigation.
This incident was the fourth officer-involved shooting that turned fatal in the City of Newport News this year. Chief Drew said it is also the fourth officer-involved shooting involving the suspects wielding weapons against the police, and also noted this is the fourth incident involving a person struggling with mental health.
“What else can we do in our department?" he asked. "What other resources can we have with our partners?”
13News Now spoke with friends of Dusinberre, who remember the 39-year-old as caring and funny but also someone who struggled with mental health challenges.
Shanna Steigerwalt said Aaron was a close friend known as "Lou." She notes that she was one of the last to speak with him before the shooting.
“He had actually given me permission to do a welfare check, which wasn't like him,” Steigerwalt said
Saddened by the loss, Steigerwalt and her husband Alex say they will remember their friend.
"He was going to be called Uncle Lou. It just really... it really hurts me to know that that he's that he's gone."
Chief Drew reiterated at the press conference that the investigation of this deadly shooting is still ongoing and the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave.
"Any time anyone points a firearm at police officers... there's only but so many options," said Drew.
The police chief said he spoke with Dusinberre's parents, who live in Upstate New York; he said the father told him he was "'expecting this type of call'" and was "almost apologetic."
