A terrifying scene at a Richmond apartment complex on Wednesday involved shots fired at police officers executing a search warrant, and a teen dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A 16-year-old male is the reported death in the matter, which took place at the Belt Atlantic apartment complex early Wednesday.
Third Precinct officers, with assistance of the RPD SWAT team, attempted to execute a search warrant in the 4000 block of Midlothian Turnpike at 5:46 a.m., according to a report from Richmond Police.
The search warrant stemmed from an ongoing investigation into illegal firearms, specifically use of a machine gun for aggressive purposes and possession of auto sear devices, or “switches.”
An adult female exited the apartment to speak with officers, who heard gunshots fired from inside the residence. An officer’s ballistic shield was struck by a bullet, a bullet fragment or sharp metal resulting from a bullet passing through the exterior door frame while the officer was at the door.
The object made contact with the officer’s body; the officer was not injured.
It was reported that no officers discharged their weapons during this incident.
At this point, two teen-aged males exited the apartment and informed officers that there was an injured young male still inside.
Officers entered the apartment and observed blood under a closed bedroom door. As the officers made entry into the bedroom, they found the 16-year-old suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
The Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death.
The other two males, 18, and 13, were taken into investigative detention at the scene.
In the apartment, members of the RPD forensics unit collected bullets that were fired in this incident and cartridge casings. These will be analyzed for comparison to three firearms recovered at the scene.
An assault rifle was recovered as well as two firearms that were modified with auto sears or switches, illegal devices which, when attached to a handgun, modify it into a fully automatic machine gun-type firearm.
Over 200 rounds of ammunition were also seized.
Anyone with further information about this incident is asked to call Major Crimes Detective J. Crewell at (804) 646-5324 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.
The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones also may be used. All Crime Stoppers reporting methods are anonymous.
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Chris Graham
