PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Two people are in the hospital, one of them in critical condition, Thursday night after a shooting involving a police officer in Portsmouth, the city's police department confirmed.
According to the Portsmouth Police Department (PPD), officers responded to the 1900 block of Elm Avenue after receiving a FLOCK gunshot detection notification. That's in Prentis Park. There, they found somebody with a gunshot injury.
PPD said the suspect was still on the scene and armed, and refused to follow commands given by the officers.
13News Now received video from a witness who captured the officer-involved shooting on her cellphone. Some viewers may find it disturbing to watch.
After repeated commands from officers went ignored, around 16 gunshots went off.
"Our officers began giving verbal commands for that individual to drop his weapon, that individual failed to do so. Based on his actions, our officers - two of them - fired shots at him, striking him to the ground,” Police Chief Stephen Jenkins said.
Additional officers rendered aid to the suspect and called for medics.
Both victims were hospitalized. The victim who was shot by the suspect is injured but is expected to survive.
The suspect who was shot by the officer, however, is in critical condition, PPD said. Virginia State Police (VSP) said the suspect was a 25-year-old man.
While at the scene, Jenkins said he spoke with the injured suspect's mother and tried to console her. He said the incident was "tragic."
"Any time officers are placed in a bad situation where they have to discharge their weapon is an unfortunate incident," Jenkins said.
At the request of the police department, VSP will be conducting the investigation. Once completed, the findings will be turned over to the Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to be reviewed.
The officers involved will also be placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. No officers were hurt in the shooting.