RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Police Department has released dispatch audio and body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that left a 20-year-old man dead on Easter Sunday.
On Sunday, March 31, at about 5 a.m., officers responded to the 1900 block of Cedar Street for a reported disturbance involving an armed person. During 20-year-old Kenneth Sharp’s interaction with officers, police said he pulled a gun. One of the officers then shot him.
Per department protocol, a “critical incident briefing,” or a collection of related audio and video, has been shared with the public in the aftermath of officer-involved shootings.
While the investigation into this incident is ongoing and the involved officer is on administrative leave with pay, this briefing is meant to “provide the public with the details as we [the department] currently understand them.”
The initial 911 call and dispatch audio
The initial call was made to Richmond’s dispatch by an unidentified person, whose voice is seemingly altered within the briefing video for privacy reasons. Any identifying information is also redacted.
The caller tells the dispatcher they can see a person lying on the hood of a car. According to the caller, the person had been beating on the car and making a lot of noise, which had woken them up. They then reportedly witnessed the person pull a “long gun” from their pants.
At one point during the call, the caller says they can see the person getting off of the hood of the car. They then tell the dispatcher that the person has gotten inside the car.
When asked to describe the person they’re seeing, the caller says the person looks like a Black male in a black hoodie and skinny jeans. They tell the dispatcher that the person’s car is parked near a dumpster in the parking lot.
They also describe the gun the person has as the length of a “baseball bat.”
The briefing video then cuts to the initial dispatch shared with officers. The dispatcher describes the situation as explained above and tells the officers the car appears to be a Silver Hyundai.
Body camera footage: Officers arrive at the scene
Two officers responded to the scene. The briefing shows their body camera footage side by side at first before providing a full-screen view of the officer who ultimately shot Sharp. The briefing ends with several screenshots of moments the department wishes to highlight and a few evidence photos.
The officers are blurred within the footage to conceal their identities. The briefing refers to them as “Officer #1” and “Officer #2.”
Officer #1 is seen arriving at the scene first. In the video, he approaches the Hyundai and shines his flashlight inside. Sharp appears to be in the car and the passenger seat. He does not seem to respond to the light or Officer #1’s presence.
Officer #1 does not knock on the window or try to get Sharp’s attention right away. He can be seen walking away from the car, then back, then away again. At this time, Officer #2 arrives in his patrol car and Officer #1 approaches his driver’s side to talk to him.
As they talk, Officer #1 tells Officer #2 that Sharp seems to be asleep. Both officers appear to not be sure why they were called if Sharp is just asleep in his car.
“What do you want to do with it?” Officer #2 is heard asking Officer #1.
“I can knock and see if I can talk to ’em.” Officer #1 says in answer.
Body camera footage: Officers confront Sharp
Officer #2 exits his cruiser and follows Officer #1 over to the Hyundai. At some point before Officer #1 gets Sharp’s attention, Officer #2 rounds the car and stops near its hood on the driver’s side.
Officer #1 lightly knocks on the car’s passenger side window. Shortly after, either Officer #1 or Sharp opens the passenger side door.
Once the door is open, Sharp can be seen lifting a large gun from the footwell of the car.
The department indicates with screenshots from the footage that it appears Sharp brings his finger “towards the trigger.” The department also indicates Sharp lifts the muzzle of the gun upwards and that it seems to be pointed somewhat in Officer #2’s direction.
Officer #2 immediately runs towards his cruiser. As this is happening, Officer #1 stumbles back from the car door. Sharp’s foot is seen stepping outside of the car at this time.
Officer #1 runs around the dumpster and has his gun drawn. Officer #2 ducks behind the hood of his police cruiser as Sharp exits the vehicle.
One of the officers calls for Sharp to drop the gun. They do not finish saying this before four shots are fired at Sharp by Officer #2.
Due to Officer #2’s being crouched behind the hood of his car and the height of his body camera, as well as the video quality and the lighting, it is not clear if Sharp has his gun pointed at officers. However, he can be seen standing outside of the car and he has the gun in his hand.
At the time of Officer #2’s shots, Officer #1 has no visual of Sharp. He runs away from the shots, ducking between two other cars for a few moments before he runs back toward Officer #2 and Sharp. Officer #2 then radios dispatch and tells them shots were fired.
Officer #2 approaches Sharp, with Officer #1 arriving shortly after.
Officer #1 then goes to check on the female occupant in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. They ask her if she is alive and she does not audibly answer.
Officer #2 lifts the large gun Sharp had away from him. It seems to have Sharp’s blood on it. Both officers audibly catch their breath for a moment before Officer #1 goes around the car and checks on the woman.
The woman begins talking with Officer #1, seeming confused and asking him what happened. He asks if she is okay and she says yes.
All body camera footage ends there.
Additional evidence photos and what comes next
The Richmond Police Department provided additional evidence photos of the gun in Sharp’s possession and the hoodie he was wearing at the time of his death.
The investigation into what happened that morning between Sharp and the two Richmond officers continues.
“Once a full investigative report is complete, the report will be submitted to the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney,” said a spokesperson for the department. “Following the determination from that office, RPD will conduct an internal policy review.”
At this time, neither officer has been identified. Both were placed on administrative leave with pay immediately following the incident. According to the spokesperson, Officer #2 remains on leave but Officer #1 — who did not fire his gun — has resumed his regular duties.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
