WASHINGTON, D.C. – Three Congressmen issued a statement on the death of 60-year-old Jiansheng Chen of Chesapeake, who was shot and killed while playing Pokemon Go.
Grandpa Chen – as he has come to be known on the Internet – was allegedly shot and killed by a River Walk neighborhood security guard last month.
The guard says he was acting in self-defense, and that Chen tried to run him over. Chen’s family says their grandfather was playing Pokémon Go, and spoke little English.
U.S. Representatives Donald McEachin (VA-04), Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Grace Meng (NY-06) issued the following statement:
We are deeply saddened over the death of Jiansheng Chen. We are also concerned about the manner and circumstances in which he lost his life. Many questions remain and need to be answered, and we call on local authorities to conduct their investigation thoroughly and expeditiously. We must know how a game of Pokémon Go turned into a fatal shooting.
It is our hope that Congress will act in a bipartisan manner to ensure law enforcement personnel receive high quality, evidence-based training in non-lethal de-escalation tactics. We must continue to work together to emphasize the need for reasonable and effective polices that reflect our nation’s moral obligation to keep our communities safe.
At this difficult time, we send our thoughts and prayers to the Chen family, and we eagerly await further information from law enforcement about this tragic incident.
Police continue to investigate. The Commonwealth’s Attorney, Nancy Parr, says a decision will be based on evidence and not rumors or media reports.
