PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth Police continue to investigate after, they say, an officer was shot responding to what the department is calling a possible domestic violence call Monday night.
The Henley Townhomes complex where police say the shooting happened was quiet Tuesday, but video sent to News 3 by someone who lives in one of the townhomes shows what they say is part of the police response Monday night to a townhome just a few doors away.
Watch: Viewer video shows police responding to Henley Townhomes
The resident said police used their car as a shield.
“Domestics are one of the most dangerous type of calls that we respond to," Portsmouth Police Department Detective Gino Jackson said.
Jackson said domestic-related calls are high-risk for multiple reasons.
Watch: Portsmouth woman shot and killed Wednesday was pregnant: court docs
“You’re entering someone’s domain. You’re entering their dwelling. You’re also dealing with emotions," Jackson explained.
In Monday night’s incident, police said they received information a woman may have been trying to pick up a kid from the townhome in question and there was some concern, according to police, someone was being held against their will.
For officers responding to domestic-related calls, training and experience are key.
Watch: Portsmouth police utilizing QR codes to encourage community building, cut down on crime
“It’s just using that training that we do receive and the experience of the officers in just communicating with people and you deal with it on a situation by situation basis," Jackson said.
When officers showed up and knocked on the door of the townhome Monday night, police say, 26-year-old Rakeem Christian opened the door, shot an officer once in the stomach, and then went back inside.
He has since been arrested and as of Tuesday was facing five charges.
“It’s a very emotional thing, especially with what just happened in Virginia Beach. That really brings it home. It reminds us that we take it for granted that we leave our homes every single day and you go to do a job but you don’t expect to get shot," Jackson said.
Watch: Samaritan House host luncheon in Virginia Beach to spread awareness of domestic violence
The officer was recovering. They were taken to a hospital for treatment Monday night according to police, but as of Tuesday had been released from the hospital.
According to a criminal complaint, the gun Christian used to shoot the officer was found within reach of his three-year-old child in the child’s bedroom where the child was unattended.
“When I came outside, just police everywhere, man," said neighbor Malik Mayo.
Watch: Norfolk Navy woman raises awareness about domestic violence after leaving abusive marriage
Mayo lives a few doors away from where the shooting happened.
He said he’s not scared, but as of Tuesday was trying to move to a safer area.
On top of the shooting, at the entrance to the townhome complex is a church where a body was found in a burning dumpster in November 2024.
Watch: Body found in burning Portsmouth dumpster had several gunshot wounds, court records say
“It’s just not a good area right here, man. There’s a lot going on. It’s just not a good area," Mayo said.
As of Tuesday, police had not identified the officer who was shot.
