VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach Police on Monday presented a look at what led up to an officer shooting and killing a man last Thursday.
During a press conference, Police Chief Paul Neudigate gave a timeline and showed police body cam video, giving a closer look into what happened.
NOTE: We have stopped the video ahead of showing the bodycam footage in order to avoid showing any explicitly graphic images. We will update the article with more.
Police said it all started around 4 a.m. on Nov. 20, when a vehicle was reported stolen from the 800 block of North Military Highway. The next day, that same vehicle was reportedly involved in a police pursuit in Newport News.
It wouldn't be until 3:30 p.m. last Thursday that a Virginia Beach Police officer pulled the vehicle over.
The rest of the timeline from Dec. 1 is as follows:
- 3:30 p.m.: Virginia Beach Police Department Officer receives ALPR hit on the vehicle
- 3:31 p.m.: Officer initiates stop and attempts to detain the driver, Deshawn Whitaker, 28, of Norfolk. Whitaker escapes the officer's grip and fled on foot.
- 3:31 p.m.: Officer attempts to detain front-seat passenger: Jaqueline Ortiz-Whitaker, 20, of Norfolk. She resists and a struggle ensues. She repeatedly reaches for a handgun concealed in the waistband of her pants.
- 3:32 p.m.: Whitaker returns with a firearm and points it at the officer.
- 3:32 p.m.: Officer discharges service weapon, striking Whitaker
- 3:33 p.m.: Norfolk Fire/Rescue arrives to render aid to Whitaker
Whitaker died from his injuries on Dec. 2 at 12:08 a.m. at Norfolk General Hospital, police said.
After showing the timeline, Chief Neudigate showed bodycam footage from the officer involved.
The video shows the officer trying to detain Whitaker who then runs from the officer. The officer then goes back to try to detain Ortiz-Whitaker in which there was a struggle. Police said the video shows Ortiz-Whitaker reaching for the weapon several times.
Police said the video then shows Whitaker returning with a gun pointed at the officer. The video shows the officer firing and striking Whitaker who falls to the ground. Police said a crew from Norfolk Fire Rescue, Engine 4, "aided in detaining Ortiz" and provided emergency medical assistance to Whitaker within a minute of the shooting.
After the incident, Ortiz-Whitaker was taken to the hospital and treated for injuries before being taken to the Virginia Beach Correctional Facility. She faces multiple charges including possession of stolen property, concealed weapon and brandishing a firearm. She was being held on no bond.
The officer, who was treated for minor injuries on the scene, has 14 years of service as a law enforcement officer—seven years with the Virginia Beach Police Department and six years at another agency.
Chief Neudigate said the video is just one piece of the investigation and the department is looking to see if there are additional witnesses to interview. Virginia Beach Police said their homicide unit is "conducting the law enforcement criminal investigation into this incident." The Virginia Beach Officer of the Commonwealth Attorney is conducting its own investigation, as well. After a criminal investigation, police said the VBPD Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct an administrative review to see if the shooting complied with the department's training and protocols.
Chief Neudigate provided some of his thoughts.
"We almost had an officer killed, we almost had an officer executed from doing his job, protecting the City of Virginia Beach," he said. "It's got me feeling a number of ways. One, I'm very, very happy that our officer is uninjured. I'm angry, I'm saddened for what seems to have become acceptable across this nation, acceptable to steal cars, acceptable to illegally possess firearms, acceptable to commit robberies, acceptable to fight the police...ladies and gentlemen, none of that is acceptable."
