RICHMOND, Va. — The Supreme Court of Virginia reversed a million-dollar judgment in a 2019 fatal police shooting of a man in Virginia Beach.
On February 9, 2019, police were called to a home in the 5700 block of Paiute Road after 57-year-old Jeffrey Tyree brandished a knife and threatened to harm himself with it.
Police said they negotiated for hours with Tyree, who eventually put down the knife. However, Virginia Beach Detective Bradley Colas shot Tyree after the man picked the knife back up and approached another officer in a "threatening manner." Tyree later died at the hospital.
Officials later determined the shooting justified, but Tyree's family filed a lawsuit against Colas. In 2021, a civil court jury found Colas liable for battery and awarded $1 million to Tyree's estate.
The verdict was appealed and on Thursday, the Virginia Supreme Court sided with the detective in a 4-3 ruling, stating that "the plaintiffs’ [Tyree estate's] own uncontradicted evidence established that the defendant detective [Colas] was justified in firing the shot" to protect the life of the other officer.
The majority opinion stated the judge in the civil trial should have either dismissed the case before it was sent to the jury or set aside the jury's verdict.
The Tyree family was disappointed with the decision and would explore further options, such as seeking a rehearing and reconsideration with the Supreme Court of Virginia, according to Kevin Martingayle, who represented the family.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.