ROANOKE, Va. – A man is in the hospital after being shot by a Roanoke police officer.
We’re told the man was holding a knife, moving towards officers and ignoring commands.
Investigators said it all started with a call about a man with a knife threatening people inside a home on Moorman Avenue.
Two Roanoke Police officers arrived around 8 p.m. on Monday night.
“Officers gave multiple commands to drop the knife. The man refused and continued to advance. Officers deployed both a department-issued taser and a service weapon,” said Roanoke Police Chief Scott Booth.
10 News asked Roanoke Police about the timeline of when the taser was used, before, during or after the suspect was shot.
They told us they could not comment because of the ongoing investigation.
Criminologist and former police officer, Dr. Tod Burke said there are factors that could impact the effectiveness of a taser.
“Tasers may be ineffective for people under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Or who have certain medical or mental health issues,” said Dr. Burke.
“It is limited in range. And clothing can certainly have a factor when using a taser,” he added.
This year, WSLS has reported on four officer-involved shootings: Alleghany County, Danville Police, Bedford County, and this most recent one in Roanoke.
In 2023, WSLS reported on nine officer-involved shootings in the region.
“It’s a split-second decision by the officer. It’s not the first choice a police officer wants to do. They want to go through as many avenues as they can that are non-lethal before the use of deadly force,” said Dr. Burke.
Both officers are currently on administrative leave as Virginia State Police investigate this officer-involved shooting.
The man who was shot is in stable condition, according to police.