NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — In 50 years of being an attorney, Johnny Hooker said he has never seen a case where a police officer sued a suspect — until now.

Hooker, who represented Chad Harrison in his criminal case, is speaking out only to 10 On Your Side.

Norfolk Police Sgt. Chris Deuell is suing Harrison, who Deuell’s attorney said fired two shots at the officer nearly a year ago, the defendant holed up at a house at 8810 Semmes Ave. Nov. 26, 2023 when the officers arrived at his front door.

Responding to a 911 call, Deuell tried to get into the home, while Harrison pushed back, and, according to the incident narrative, home video will show Harrison on the other side of the door.

Deuell’s attorney, Tim Anderson, said Harrison shot twice with a long gun through the door, with one of the bullets coming within inches of hitting Deuell, which led to the officer suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, Anderson said.

Hooker said Harrison had no idea who was at his door because police failed to knock and announce themselves, a Fourth Amendment requirement.  

“They never announced themselves,” Hooker said. “… They never did what they were supposed to do. They never said they were police and [knocked].” 

The stipulated facts accepted by the Norfolk Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney state that Harrison “discharged a firearm into the interior floor of the residence … that he discharged the firearm accidentally” and not at Deuell, as Anderson claimed. 

“It was pointed down,” Hooker told 10 On Your Side. “When they breached the door, they hit the firearm, and it went off.” 

Anderson maintains it was not an accident.

“Now you might be able to get away with one shot, but he shot twice, and one of those bullets nearly hit my client,” Anderson said.

As for Deuell’s pending civil case against Harrison for intentional infliction of emotional distress due to the shooting incident, Hooker put it this way: “The bullets went [in a] downward spiral into the threshold of the door, so nothing came close to the officer. So I can’t imagine what kind of doctor is going to see that this is PTSD.”  

Anderson said Harrison’s legal team has no idea what the medical records will show concerning mental stress and PTSD. 

Hooker, however, is skeptical.

“I don’t believe he suffered anything physically or emotionally,” Hooker said.

Chad Harrison said he has doorbell video that proves his side of the story. He was charged with felony discharge of a firearm in occupied building, but he accepted a plea of misdemeanor disorderly conduct, with his case dismissed after a year good behavior. 

The first hearing in the civil case is Dec. 6.