VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)– A man is dead after being shot by an officer in Virginia Beach Tuesday night.
According to police, officers were called to the 7-Eleven in the 4600 block of Virginia Beach Boulevard at 11:06 p.m. for the report of a suspicious person, later identified as Brandon Raylin Closson of Norfolk.
When officers arrived, they found the man armed with a cutting tool, roughly 6” long with an approximately 3” metal serrated edge. Closson advanced towards the officer and disregarded commands to stop.
The officer discharged his firearm, striking the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The officer is uninjured and on administrative leave.
Photos from the scene show a heavy police presence and the 7-Eleven blocked off by police tape. Our WAVY photog on scene said the body was found nearby a gas pump.
The scene remained active for around five hours, with officers clearing the area around 4:30 a.m.
One man who declined to share his name said he thinks the situation could’ve been handled differently.
“They could’ve taken other means, I mean y’all got tasers, you know, you could’ve tased him,” he said.
He told 10 On Your Side this should open up a conversation about mental health.
“Cause he probably had mental health issues. I think mental health is a big thing right now and I think everybody needs to focus on mental health,” the anonymous man said.
But he said he still understands an officer’s duty to serve and protect, advising people to just comply with law enforcement.
“Let them do their job because they are doing their job. That’s the truth which is understandable,” he said.
The VBPD Detective Bureau and the Virginia Beach Office of the Commonwealth Attorney will be conducting criminal investigations on this incident. Upon conclusion of both criminal investigations, the VBPD Internal Affairs Unit will conduct an administrative review to determine compliance with department policy, procedure, and training.