With 13 recorded so far in 2024, a look at Hampton Roads officer-involved shootings (2024)

NORFOLK, Va. — As of mid-August, there have been 13 shootings in the seven cities of Hampton Roads involving police officers.

The most recent shooting between police and an individual occurred on Tuesday.

News 3 spoke with one of our Commonwealth's Attorneys about transparency and trends.

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One was in Virginia Beach along Bonney Road and Trace Court. That's where police said an 18-year-old pointed a gun at them and shots rang out.

No one was injured and the teen suspect is in custody, but that's not always the outcome.

Also on Tuesday, deputies shot and killed a man they claim shot at police in Bertie County, N.C.

Watch: Deputies shoot, kill man they say opened fire on law enforcement in Bertie County

Deputies shoot, kill man they say opened fire on law enforcement in Bertie County

Two weeks ago Newport News police killed a man after they said he used a gun to rob a bank and threaten officers. Three weeks ago, Virginia Beach police killed a man after they said he attacked, killed and injured other people inside a home. A month ago, Norfolk police said a man shot an officer during a child protective services call before police shot him.

News 3 contacted area police in the seven cities for this year's numbers so far.

Norfolk and Newport News have seen more cases where police fired weapons at individuals during incidents. Norfolk and Newport News each have four cases year-to-date. Virginia Beach follows with three cases, and Suffolk two. Portsmouth, Hampton and Chesapeake have zero cases. Last year Virginia Beach led with four cases, followed by Portsmouth's and Hampton's two, and Newport News' and Suffolk's one. Last year, Chesapeake and Norfolk had no cases.

Watch: Newport News police shoot, kill suspect in armed bank robbery on Jefferson Ave.

Newport News police shoot, kill suspect in armed bank robbery on Jefferson Ave.

"We have seen some years where officer-involved shootings numbers go up, some of them go down. We have seen national numbers creep up over the last few years, but when we are talking about the level of individual cities everything is its own thing and there is no greater trend to see," said Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney.

News 3 asked Fatehi if there's any common thread.

"It wouldn't be responsible to talk about my cases currently under review but I can tell you generally what I have seen and in the press conferences I have held in previous officer-involved shootings is the common thread is somebody is shooting at an officer, is threatening an officer with deadly force or threatening someone else with deadly force and the officers have responded."

Watch: Norfolk officer hit 'multiple times' in shootout with suspect on Arcadia Street

Norfolk officer hit 'multiple times' in shootout with suspect on Arcadia Street: NPD

Though he said, in cases like these, it's paramount there's transparency.

"Just because an officer is doing the right thing the vast majority of the time, doesn't mean the people will have the confidence they're doing it all the time," said Fatehi. "It doesn't erase Ferguson, it doesn't erase Minneapolis, it doesn't erase the high-profile and completely true instances of police brutality and police violence."

He explained that investigations can vary by jurisdiction, but he values that investigations are independent. He said in Norfolk the state police are called in and information is released as soon as appropriate and when it's not going to jeopardize any criminal trials. Though, he added that the first bits of information released might not always tell the whole story.

"Whatever the first bits of information are that come out, those are never going to be the full story. Without the full picture it may seem like one thing and turn out to be another," said Fatehi. "So trust, verify, be patient, allow the state police as they do in Norfolk to do their work, allow them to come to me, and listen to the full story. Then use that information to advocate for whatever it is that led to this particular confrontation."

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