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| Police officer indicted for first-degree murder in death of unarmed teenager | Police officer indicted for first-degree murder in death of unarmed teenager |
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| A police officer has been indicted with first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old in Virginia earlier this year. | A police officer has been indicted with first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old in Virginia earlier this year. |
| A grand jury in Portsmouth decided on Thursday to charge Stephen Rankin for killing William Chapman, Jon Michael Babineau, an attorney for Chapman’s family, told the Guardian. | |
| “After a methodical deliberation of a thorough investigation by the Virginia state police, the state’s attorney determined that William Chapman was murdered by a police officer,” said Babineau. “Today, the citizens of Portsmouth agreed.” | |
| Rankin shot Chapman in the head and chest outside a Walmart superstore on the morning of 22 April. The pair had engaged in a physical struggle after Rankin tried to arrest the 18-year-old on suspicion of shoplifting, according to police. | Rankin shot Chapman in the head and chest outside a Walmart superstore on the morning of 22 April. The pair had engaged in a physical struggle after Rankin tried to arrest the 18-year-old on suspicion of shoplifting, according to police. |
| Witnesses said Chapman broke free and then stepped back towards the officer aggressively before being shot twice. The 18-year-old was the second unarmed man shot dead by Rankin in Portsmouth. An autopsy indicated Chapman was not shot at close range. | Witnesses said Chapman broke free and then stepped back towards the officer aggressively before being shot twice. The 18-year-old was the second unarmed man shot dead by Rankin in Portsmouth. An autopsy indicated Chapman was not shot at close range. |
| Earl Lewis, a cousin of Chapman who has acted as a family spokesman, said following the grand jury’s decision: “Justice has been served, and it has been shown that black lives matter in Portsmouth, Virginia.” | |
| Last week Stephanie Morales, the commonwealth’s attorney for Portsmouth, announced she would seek an indictment over Chapman’s death. Authorities have declined to say whether Chapman was found to have stolen anything. | Last week Stephanie Morales, the commonwealth’s attorney for Portsmouth, announced she would seek an indictment over Chapman’s death. Authorities have declined to say whether Chapman was found to have stolen anything. |
| The shooting was investigated by the Virginia state police, which passed its findings to Morales earlier this month. The prosecutor also commissioned her own investigative work and tests by the state department of forensic science. | The shooting was investigated by the Virginia state police, which passed its findings to Morales earlier this month. The prosecutor also commissioned her own investigative work and tests by the state department of forensic science. |
| Rankin, 36, is a veteran of the US navy. In 2011, he fatally shot Kirill Denyakin, a Kazakh cook, while responding to a 911 call about Denyakin aggressively banging at the door of a building where he was staying. A grand jury declined to indict the officer. | Rankin, 36, is a veteran of the US navy. In 2011, he fatally shot Kirill Denyakin, a Kazakh cook, while responding to a 911 call about Denyakin aggressively banging at the door of a building where he was staying. A grand jury declined to indict the officer. |
| Lewis, a former police officer, said: “We would also like to give our condolences to the Denyakin family. If he had stopped then, William would still be alive today. We lost a very valuable young man in our family.” |