Officer-involved shooting under investigation after assault in Rocky Mount

ROCKY MOUNT, Va. – An officer-involved shooting is under investigation in Franklin County after a late-night incident at the Rocky Mount Plaza shopping center Saturday night. 

Rocky Mount Town Manager Matt Hankins sent out a release Sunday morning stating at the request of Rocky Mount Police Chief Ken Criner, the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office is handling the nonfatal officer-involved shooting investigation.

It happened shortly before midnight, according to the release. A Rocky Mount police officer located a man with a pending emergency custody order. Less than an hour earlier, a Franklin County magistrate issued the order to commit the individual into custody for evaluation by medical professionals. 

The officer stopped his vehicle to approach the man at the Rocky Mount Plaza shopping center on Tanyard Road. As the officer approached, the man began physically assaulting the officer. During the altercation, the officer fired at the man, hitting him and ending the assault.

The man was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital by ambulance for treatment of a non-life-threatening injury. 

The officer was transported to Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital by ambulance for treatment of non-life threatening injuries sustained in the assault. The officer has been treated and released.

The officer is on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the inquiry, per standard department policy.

The Rocky Mount Police Department will have no further comment at this time due to the ongoing nature of the investigation