RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Police Department has released new video, photos and audio in connection to a deadly officer-involved shooting that occurred in the city’s Church Hill neighborhood earlier this month.
On the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 15, officers were called to a residence in Church Hill after a man had reportedly threatened someone with a knife. While police reportedly attempted to de-escalate the situation at first, they eventually heard a scream that prompted them to enter and shoot 36-year-old Kyle Harris of Richmond, who died early Wednesday morning.
911 Audio
The video released by Richmond Police includes audio from a 911 call, video and audio from body cameras worn by officers at the scene, evidence photos and audio from a recording device inside the home.
The video begins with audio from a 911 call that began at 7:24 p.m. and includes multiple redactions and an altered voice for the caller to protect their identity, according to police.
The caller can be heard telling the dispatcher that they received a call from the boss of the suspect 40 minutes prior, saying that the suspect was having a mental health issue and had threatened their employer with a knife.
The audio provided by police then includes the dispatcher identifying Kyle Harris by name and sharing a description of him to officers as they are sent to the scene.
Bodycam video
Bodycam video shows the first officer arriving at the scene — located on the 2900 block of East Broad Street — at 7:29 p.m. According to police, this officer first spoke with a nearby neighbor who told him that Harris had “cut off power in the unit.” He was also told that a child lives at the apartment in question. Bodycam video then shows a second officer arrive at the scene at 7:33 p.m. According to police, a family member allows both officers to enter the home.
At 7:37 p.m., bodycam video shows both officers standing at the open front door to an apartment. One officer can then be heard identifying themselves and asking if anyone is inside. A man’s voice from inside the apartment can be heard, saying “Yep,” before stating that he is armed and has a hostage.
The video shows officers repeatedly identify themselves as police and call for Harris to come to the front door with his hands up but he can be heard verbally refusing.
At 7:38 p.m., one officer can be seen calling for backup. Both officers then enter the front room of the apartment while Harris stays in a room deeper in the building. Officers again ask him to come to the front door but he responds by saying, “If you don’t get the [expletive] out of the front door, I’m going to hurt one of these witnesses.”
At 7:39 p.m., officers continue calling for Harris to come to the front door and talk to them. In the bodycam video, Harris can then be heard saying, “You’re going to have to shoot me, but I’m not done yet.” Officers once again say that they just want to talk. One officer then asks, “Is there a lady in here?” When Harris says there is, the officer asks where she is and Harris can be heard saying, “She is just sitting here right now, thinking about her choices in life.” The officer then asks if they can talk to her and he says, “Sure.”
The officer can then be heard asking for the female to come speak with them at the front door. A female voice can be heard saying, “OK,” while Harris says, “She can’t come to the front door.” Harris and the female voice can be heard speaking to each other as officers say they will be waiting at the front door and won’t come closer.
“I’m talking to her right now, she thinks this is a game and I’m not playing games tonight,” Harris can be heard saying to officers.
Shortly before 7:41 p.m., one officer asks if the other wants to switch from her firearm to a stun gun in case they need to enter the room in a hurry. After the officer switches her weapons, Harris can be heard saying, “As soon as I come around this corner, you can trust and believe I’m coming at you with my [expletive] hatchet.”
At 7:42 p.m., Harris can be heard yelling at the female hostage as officers call for further backup and make plans not to take any further action until they arrive.
At 7:43 p.m., a third officer arrives at the scene and is filled in on the situation by the other officers.
At 7:44 p.m., Harris can be heard identifying the female hostage as his wife. One officer then asks if she is allowed to leave the room and both he and the hostage say, “No.”
Officers again ask Harris to come closer to them, addressing him as “Kyle.” Harris’s voice then appears to get more emotional talking with his wife as he says, “I have to put an axe to my wife’s [expletive] head.”
At 7:45 p.m., one officer can be heard calling for the woman to speak to them and let them know she’s OK. Harris can be heard saying, “She’s ready to make a break for it. I wouldn’t do it. You’re enticing her. And that will just get her expired.” A short time later, he can be heard yelling, “Officers, I swear to god, if I get to y’all I’m gonna cut one of your fucking throats.”
At 7:47 p.m., the woman can be heard saying, “Don’t touch me. You don’t get to touch me. Stop!” Harris can then be heard responding, “I’m going to [expletive] kill you if you don’t shut the [expletive] up.”
Around 7:48 p.m., one officer says, “As of right now, no one is in trouble. We’re just trying to make sure everybody’s safe.” Harris can be heard saying, “No, I’m in trouble. I’ve got one dead.” Shortly after, more officers arrive, including one with a ballistic shield.
At 7:50 p.m., Harris can be heard telling his wife he is going to cut her head off. A short time later he can be heard saying, “I didn’t do all this for show. All this is not for show.”
At 7:54 p.m., a fifth officer with a rifle asks the officer holding a stun gun if she is going to be quick with it, saying “I really don’t want to have to drop this guy if we don’t have to.” She responds, “Yeah, I’m good.”
At 7:56 p.m., a group of officers, led by the officer with the shield, start pushing up the hallway to get closer to Harris and the hostage. One officer can then be heard saying to others, “If we hear screaming or something, we’re moving and we’re going in.”
The video is then split across four different officer bodycams shortly after 7:57 p.m. A loud bang sound can be heard, followed by the wife yelling, “Kyle.”
In response, the group of officers can be seen pushing through the house quickly. One officer can be heard yelling, “He’s got an axe!” The bodycam video does not show Harris at this moment, as the view of the officer at the front of the formation is blocked by his ballistic shield. The officer with the shield can then be seen pushing down the door of the bedroom.
As one officer is in the middle of yelling, “Get on the ground!” another can be heard firing shots from his patrol rifle — Richmond Police identifies this as the fifth officer. Harris can then be seen lying on the bed shirtless.
A number of officers can then be heard repeatedly yelling for Harris to get on the ground. The officer with the stun gun then moves into the room and uses it on Harris. Harris can then be seen raising his hands in what appears to be a surrender.
The video released by Richmond Police then shows the moment the fifth officer fired his rifle in slow-motion before returning to the aftermath.
At 7:58 p.m., officers place Harris in handcuffs and radio for Richmond EMS responders to enter.
The video provided by police then points to the supposed location of the hatchet and the moment it is reportedly recovered by officers. It is very difficult to see in the blurry video, but the red and black colors do match photo evidence of the hatchet also provided by police later in the video.
Bodycam video then shows officers evacuating the hostage out of the house at 7:58:41 p.m. and checking her for any possible injuries.
At 7:59:40 p.m., another bodycam video is shown of a supervisor bringing an emergency medical kit into the apartment.
Another bodycam video shows Richmond Ambulance Authority responders arriving to help officers provide medical aid to Harris at 8:02:20 p.m. He is then shown being carried out to an ambulance at 8:07:20 p.m.
According to police, Harris died at a nearby hospital five hours later at 1:04 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Additional details
Richmond Police originally reported an “edged weapon” had been found at the scene. Photo evidence from police now shows the hatchet that was reportedly recovered from the scene. Police also reportedly recovered a knife from bushes outside the home that they say is “suspected to have been brandished earlier that day.”
Police have also released photos of the damage done to the bedroom door which they say was caused by hatchet strikes.
In a statement shared with the newly released video, Richmond Police said a report of the full investigation will be submitted to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney once it is complete.
“Following the determination from that office, RPD will conduct an internal policy review. Per department policy, the officer who fired his service weapon is on administrative leave with pay,” the release reads. “The goal of releasing [Critical Incident Briefing] videos is to further transparency and trust as the Richmond Police Department continues to work with various stakeholders to provide a clear and unbiased account of critical incidents to the community.”
The incident remains under investigation by the Richmond Police Department. According to police, anyone with information about this shooting is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.