RICHMOND — A man fatally shot by Richmond police officers last month held an AR-style rifle in his hands when officers encountered him in the bedroom of a home on June 28, authorities said in a news conference at their headquarters Friday.
Richmond police Officer Alexander Caine and Det. Robert Branch each fired after shouting multiple warnings that they were inside a home in the 1200 block of Sanderling Island. Killed in the gunfire was 68-year-old Kevin McDonald, resident of the home.
Both officers are 16-year veterans of the department, according to police spokesman Sgt. Donald Patchin. At the press conference, Chief Bisa French and Patchin identified the officers for the first time.
Body-camera video of the shooting and still images of the weaponry found in the home were released to the public concurrent with the news conference.
French said officers went to the home with a search warrant after an investigation involving McDonald’s roommate, 63-year-old Jose Martinez.
Martinez was suspected of brandishing a gun from a car in the 900 block of West Cutting Boulevard on June 18, shooting twice into the air and asking the two victims, “Wanna get shot?” French said. Police also were investigating reports involving Martinez that he brandished guns in the 100 block of Washington Ave on June 26, she added.
The investigations into those two incidents led officers to the home where they encountered McDonald in June 28, French said. In the video, a group of police gather outside the home, then make entry together, calling out repeatedly that they are police serving a search warrant.
As they enter a first-floor workshop, the police report contact with a person, who appears to retreat further into the home.
The officers sweep the home, beginning to call for MacDonald by his first name as they move further into the home. Checking multiple rooms with small alcoves — most filled with clothing and random items, blocking many avenues of movement — the officers eventually clear all but one room upstairs.
An officer, backed by several others, opens the final room’s door and spots MacDonald. The officer shouts “Richmond police! Show me your hands!” then quickly shouts “Gun!” and fires on MacDonald. He moves in and takes a gun out of MacDonald’s hand as the man lies fatally wounded.
After the shooting, police found 53 guns in the home, including 48 in McDonald’s room, French said. Among those 53 were 17 ghost guns — privately-manufactured weapons that don’t have serial numbers, she said.
Police also found a live grenade, and “well over 1,000 rounds of ammunition,” Patchin said. McDonald and Martinez each had prior felony convictions that prohibited them from owning guns, police said.
Martinez remained in custody Friday at the Martinez Detention Facility after having been charged formally with nine counts related to brandishing and illegally possessing a firearm, authorities said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
