JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. — Authorities are investigating a deadly shooting that occurred in the parking lot of a Food Lion, where a man reportedly shot at two police officers before being fatally shot by them.
The incident began Sunday when James City County police received a call about a fight in a residence on Dehaven Court. According to police, a man assaulted a woman and fled the scene. He was later spotted on police FLOCK cameras in the Food Lion parking lot on Richmond Road.
Watch: James City County police shoot, kill man in Food Lion parking lot
Monday evening, Virginia State Police identified the man killed in the shootout as 57-year-old James Andrew Evans of Williamsburg.
Rick Jackson, who stopped by the Food Lion on Monday, expressed concern about the shooting in such a public place.
“It’s obviously concerning anytime there is a shooting anywhere, especially in a place like a parking lot of a shopping center, one that I’m about to frequent,” Jackson said.
In the parking lot, police say Evans fired at the officers, who returned fire. Despite attempts by the officers to save Evans' life, he died at the scene.
Jackson, a former probation parole officer from Portsmouth, emphasized the difficult decisions that law enforcement officers face.
Watch: Man dies in shootout with officers in James City County
“The officers are entitled to defend themselves and the public, so you’re always sad there is a loss of life, but you have to understand the officer was doing their job,” Jackson noted.
Virginia State Police is now conducting the investigation, and will hand its findings over to commonwealth's attorney. The two officers involved in the shooting are currently on a light workload.
