LYNCHBURG, Va. – Criminal charges will not be filed against the Lynchburg police officer who shot a man earlier this year.
Commonwealth’s Attorney for Bedford County Wes Nance, who was appointed to investigate this situation, released his findings on Tuesday.
On Feb. 25, 2021, authorities were called to a wellness check; however, over the course of the night, the situation evolved and an emergency custody order was issued for the man as he continued to refuse to leave the residence.
After determining that he did not appear to be armed, officers attempted to take him into custody while he was on a bed; however, officers said that as they approached him, he would not listen to their commands and abruptly moved his hand to a concealed location.
Reacting to that movement, Officer Vernon Parrish shot at him, according to police.
That bullet went between two of the man’s fingers, causing minor injuries to both of them, hit a cellphone the man was holding, and then deflected downward, striking and killing a dog on the man’s lap, according to Nance.
Law enforcement officers are not given the luxury of waiting to see if a movement, inconsistent with their orders or commands, are a movement to retrieve a deadly weapon or not. This delay can prove deadly to either the officer or any person present. In this specific instance, officers were advised that [the man] likely had bladed weapons in his possession and was experiencing a mental health emergency that had included threats to harm himself or others. Here Parrish’s belief that it was necessary to use deadly force was reasonable under a totality of the circumstances.
Wes Nance
Based on reviewing the evidence in the case, Nance concluded that Parrish’s actions that night were within his legal rights as a law enforcement officer.
10 News has chosen to not identify the man who was shot as it’s believed he was suffering from a mental health emergency and no charges have been filed against him.