Patrick Wilson
The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
A police officer shot and killed a suspect in a car break-in Tuesday after he drove a vehicle into the officer's car, police said.
The department identified the man killed as Kenneth Lorenzo Smallwood Jr., 20, of the 400 block of Painter St.
The shooting happened in the "Texas streets" area of Norfolk at a new apartment complex called SouthWind that was built where a mobile home park once stood. The complex is in the Oakdale Farms/Denby Park area.
The Police Department gave this account:
A resident called 911 about 7 a.m. to report seeing a man driving a gold Chrysler 300 with 30-day tags get out and break into a Dodge Magnum in the complex.
An officer arrived, saw the suspect inside the Chrysler and stopped his police car behind and perpendicular to it. The officer got out and gave commands.
"He approaches someone who's inside of a car," department spokesman Chris Amos said. "The suspect throws his vehicle in reverse right at the officer" and "starts pushing the police car onto the officer, and that's when the officer fires."
Smallwood then drove forward down Fort Worth Avenue before hitting a parked vehicle. He was not moving. Officers broke the driver's side window to get to Smallwood, who was pronounced dead.
An investigation showed that Smallwood had broken into a vehicle at the apartment complex and taken items, which were found in the Chrysler, Amos said. The Chrysler had been reported stolen in Hampton.
The officer, whose name was not released, will be put on administrative duty while police investigate, which is routine in such shootings.
The medical examiner's office confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound, said police, who would not say where Smallwood was shot.
A manager at the apartment complex's management company said she could not comment. Several neighbors declined to be interviewed.
According to a database on PilotOnline.com, the area near the complex has seen larcenies, burglaries and robberies.
Since mid-June, within a quarter-mile of SouthWinds, police have investigated 15 reported larcenies, six burglaries, a robbery and two stolen vehicles. That area includes the 400 block and 500 block of East Little Creek Road.
Patrick Wilson, (757) 222-3893, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Young Man's Death
Please remember that a mother is grieving the loss of her son. Questioning his intelligence and saying good riddance are cruel, cruel things to say about this young man. A life is lost, an opportunity is missed, a family is grieving. Surely, we can disagree without being disagreeable or disrespectful. If you or your family have not had a child, friend or relative to go wayward or make poor decisions, count yourselves blessed. Some of the leaders of our communities have made poor decisions but through the grace of God rebounded and became valuable members dedicated to helping others through the perilous years of young adulthood. That is the tragedy of this situation. This mom will never get to see all that God created her son to be. A hardworking and educated Christian woman will forever be grieving her son and wondering what he could have been had he chosen differently. Before someone goes there,let me say, I'm not trying to make anyone a victim. This is a tragedy for everyone including the officer who experienced this, but especially for the mom of the young man.
Wonder if the 911 caller
Wonder if the 911 caller witnessed this, or anyone for that matter.
The new cameras being implemented by Chesapeake sound better by the minute.
When an officer tells you what to do,
do it! This officer told the suspect what to do and the suspect countered by backing his car into the police car in attempt to escape and possibly injure the officer or others. The suspect would be alive today if he had listened and obeyed!