LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Hill City has had five officer-involved shootings since New Year’s Eve night.
Late on New Year’s Eve, LPD said officers tried to pull over Jonathan Poe who almost hit two pedestrians in the area of Main Street. Poe didn’t stop, leading police on a chase through the downtown area of Lynchburg, where he crashed into an unoccupied parked vehicle in the 2100 block of Memorial Avenue near E.C. Glass High School.
In February LPD had another officer-involved shooting. This time a car chase ended in a foot pursuit where police ended up killing Ry’Heam Brown.
Two of the officer-involved shootings involved the same person, Ashley Biggs Neeley. In May, LPD was called to an apartment complex in the 1500 block of Longview Road where Neeley was allegedly assaulting a Child Protective Service staff member.
When officers got to the home, they said Neeley attacked them with knives. One officer then fired his department-issued handgun, shooting Neeley, according to police.
Neeley was shot again by police in September. 10 News previously told you about how Neeley was supposed to be in a rehab center at the time.
Friday’s officer-involved shooting makes five in the past 11 months. A man was shot by police when he was found stabbing a woman to death. He was charged with first-degree murder.
Some jurisdictions in our viewing area have only reported one of these incidents. Those areas include Roanoke, Martinsville, Clifton Forge, and Amherst County.