VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach NAACP is calling for a federal investigation into the March 2021 police shooting that ended with 25-year-old Donovon Lynch's death, alleging oversights in the Virginia Beach Police Department's (VBPD) conduct in the initial investigation.
In a release obtained by 13News Now, the NAACP says Officer Solomon Simmons, who shot and killed Lynch, directly defied VBPD's policy when he failed to activate his body-worn camera during the fatal March 26, 2021 incident.
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The NAACP also claims that Officer Simmons was not tested for drug and alcohol directly after the shooting, which the organization says "raises concerns about the thoroughness of the investigation and whether it was conducted in accordance with the law."
As it awaits a federal investigation, the NAACP says its Legal Redress Committee will lead a "fact-finding investigation" to determine if the use of deadly force against Lynch was warranted.
"There is no conclusive evidence to date, that has been presented publicly, that Donovan Lynch brandished a fire arm," the organization said in part.
In November 2021, a special grand jury did not find probable cause to charge Officer Simmons in Lynch's death, finding he acted in "self-defense of himself and others."