LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Lynchburg has determined that one officer’s use of deadly force in a December officer-involved shooting was not excessive.
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The incident happened on December 13 around 9:08 a.m. in the 100 block of Holmes Circle, officials said.
We’re told that several law enforcement agencies went to the townhome to serve outstanding arrest warrants on Aaron Roberts III.
Officers arrived and tried to get Roberts to open the door by knocking and announcing themselves for 17 minutes before an 18-year-old girl came out, according to officials.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney said that when the teen came out, officers went in the townhome to execute the search warrants.
Authorities believed that Roberts was in the attic, so at 9:57 a.m., they deployed a canister of OC spray to try to get Roberts to come out.
Shortly after doing so, officials said that officers learned that the townhome shared the attic space with four other townhomes in the same block with no firewall separating them.
Officers made their way into the attic space at 10:33 a.m. and found Roberts, then yelled for him to show his hands and to come out, officials said.
An officer that Roberts trusted was at the scene and went into the attic with his K9 then called Roberts’ girlfriend on his cell phone per his request, the CA said. Other officers remained in the area with flashlights pointed at Roberts with their firearms drawn.
The officer Roberts trusted approached him, and officials say that Roberts continued to hide his left hand, then made more comments indicating that he had a weapon.
At 11:01 a.m. the K9 handler told Roberts to crawl out so he could be handcuffed when he was about 7-8 feet away from Roberts, officials said.
We’re told the officer put his phone away and as he took a step closer to Roberts, Roberts lifted his left hand and revealed the firearm.
Officer Foster, who was behind and to the side of the trusted officer, fired one round at Roberts when he pulled the gun up and pointed the gun toward other officers, authorities said.
According to the report, it was at this point that Roberts fell backward and through the roof of the townhome.
Authorities said that Roberts’ firearm was collected by state police and was found to be a Glock19 loaded with 14 rounds of ammo. We’re told the gun belonged to Roberts’ girlfriend.
Roberts had minor lacerations to his left arm and left knee because of the incident, and the round from the officer’s gun was never found, officials said.
After reviewing the information surrounding the incident, the Commonwealth’s Attorney said that Officer Foster’s use of deadly force was not excessive and came from an immediate threat to himself and other officers.
Authorities said that Roberts is facing pending criminal charges from these events.
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