A man is in critical condition after being shot multiple times by Harrisonburg Police Department officers after an alleged abduction and pursuit downtown Saturday evening.
The Harrisonburg Police Department was called to a domestic disturbance incident in the 1000 block of Old Furnace Road at approximately 6:30 p.m. The incident escalated to an abduction involving a 30-year-old male and a 52-year-old woman, both of the Harrisonburg area.
According to police, the suspect and victim were known to have had or been in a relationship. The call to the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Communications Center said the disturbance involved a weapon.
Police pursued the suspect and victim from East Market Street, around Court Square and onto Liberty Street. Officers were able to box the vehicle in near the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Regional Jail.
According to the police report, officers surrounded the vehicle and ordered the suspect to drop a handgun. A shot was fired from inside the vehicle, and additional orders were given to drop the weapon. The report said the suspect ignored the orders, and officers fired upon the suspect.
The victim was able to escape safely.
The suspect, struck multiple times, received life-saving care on the scene from HPD officers. The Harrisonburg Fire Department and Harrisonburg Rescue Square responded to the scene and also administered aid before the suspect was flown to the UVA Medical Center.
The suspect was listed in critical condition as of Sunday morning.
No one else was injured in the incident. One handgun was recovered from inside the vehicle.
All officers who discharged their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard practice per HPD use of force policy, while the incident is investigated.
Additionally, the Commonwealth’s Attorney of Rockingham County will review all materials related to this incident, and HPD’s professional standards unit will then conduct an internal investigation to determine if the actions of the officers involved were within policy, both of which are standard practice.
The suspect and victim’s identity have not been released.
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Crystal Graham
