LYNCHBURG, Va. – The use of force in an officer-involved shooting in November was justified, according to a review by the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney.
The incident happened on November 10, 2023, in the 5100 block of Boonsboro Road as officers responded to a 911 call.
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During the incident, a Lynchburg Police officer shot a man who was stabbing a woman to death. Authorities said, when the first officer got to the scene, the man, 43-year-old Tony Brown, was stabbing the woman, 42-year-old Nicole Rosser, and when the officer told the man to stop, he continued.
The officer then fired their department-issued gun and shot the man, according to LPD.
State police said officers began to treat Brown and Rosser at the scene, and both were taken to Lynchburg General Hospital to be treated. Rosser succumbed to her injuries, according to police.
Another woman and a 16-year-old boy at the scene sustained minor injuries and it’s unclear if they were directly involved in the incident. Both were treated and released.
According to VSP, Brown faced the following charges:
- One count of first-degree murder
- Two counts of breaking and entering with the intent to commit a felony
- Two counts of violating a protective order
The officer who fired the weapon at the scene was placed in a non-enforcement, limited-duty assignment until the investigation was complete.
In the report, Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison said Officer Knowles acted reasonably under the circumstances to obtain Brown’s compliance.
Harrison said, “When Brown did not comply with the officer’s commands to stop stabbing Rosser, Officer Knowles acted in defense of others when he shot Brown.”
You can view the full report below.
Report Use of Tony Brown Nov 10 2023 by WSLS on Scribd