HAMPTON, Va. – Leonard Morrison was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison, plus 163 years for his role in a 2017 robbery.
Morrison, along with two other men, attempted to rob the GameStop in the Hampton Town Center AMC on June 12, 2017.
According to witness statements, the men locked customers and staff inside the store before a foot pursuit with police that ended with one officer being shot. Luckily the officer survived but tore his ACL during the encounter.
Leonard Morrison
James Gregory, one of the men accused of robbing a GameStop, was sentenced to 80 years in prison. It’s essentially a life sentence.
One woman told News 3 that she was entering the GameStop to purchase a gift for her grandson who is graduating from kindergarten and one of the suspects told her not to come in the store. She said he locked the door and she contacted authorities. She said she knew something didn’t seem right.
After a foot pursuit police said officers located three suspects, which included Gregory and Morrison. While they were trying to take them into custody, Morrison got into a physical fight with the officer and was able to gain control of the officer’s weapon.
Fearing for officers’ lives and public safety, another officer exchanged gunfire with the suspect. The suspect, Morrison, was shot and the unarmed officer was shot one time by Morrison in his bullet-proof vest.
Both Morrison and the officer were taken to a hospital. The officer was treated and released for his injuries.
Morrison then had warrants on file for two counts of attempt capital murder on a police officer, one count of disarming a law enforcement officer of a firearm, three counts of robbery, two counts of conspiracy to commit a robbery, nine counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, four counts of abduction, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
All officers involved in the incidents were wearing body cameras that were recording at the time of the incident. Footage from the body cameras have been provided to the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for review.
James Gregory and Leonard Morrison also appeared in Virginia Beach court in August 2018 for their connection to a June 2017 double homicide.
Morrison was found guilty in May 2018 and received two life sentences and 28 additional years for the double murder.
Court officials said Gregory received two life sentences and an additional 30 years behind bars.
Both were charged with first degree murder and other counts for the shooting deaths of 28-year-old John Rathjen and 23-year-old Rayvon Miles on Archives Court.
