Chesterfield Police issue ‘last statement’ on man shot by officer in 2023, family may be adding department to ongoing lawsuit

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Chesterfield County Police Department has issued what it called a “last statement” on the July 2023 shooting of 34-year-old Charles Byers, who was killed by an officer while experiencing a mental health crisis.

The family of Charles Byers previously filed a lawsuit against the City of Richmond and HCA’s Chippenham Hospital, claiming their alleged neglect led to Byers’ confrontation with police.

In a July 2 statement posted to Facebook, the department stated that it believes it and one of its officers may be added to that lawsuit.

“We understand from media reports that the Byers family is now seeking to add the County and its officer to the already pending litigation,” the statement reads. “As such, this will be the Police Department’s last statement on this matter.”

Previously-withheld body camera footage of Byers’ interaction with police in the 900 block of Marblethorpe Road on July 8, 2023, was recently obtained by 8News via court documents. On that day, neighbors has reported that Byers was attempting to break into their homes.

When police arrived, they found him with a hatchet in his hand. While moving backward away from the two responding officers, Byers did not comply with over ten commands to drop the hatchet. Byers was then shot at seven times by the male officer at the scene, with five of those bullets hitting and killing him.

Prior to facing these two officers, Byers is said to have walked 14 miles alone, barefoot, from the Richmond City Justice Center to Chesterfield. He had spent a total of 36 hours wandering, searching for his home.

Byers had been at the justice center because, as the family’s lawsuit alleges, he was wrongfully detained from HCA’s Chippenham Hospital — where he was due to an ongoing mental health crisis — under a temporary detention order.

Court documents state Byers had schizoaffective disorder, which caused delusions, hallucinations and paranoia.

In its July 2 statement, the Chesterfield County Police Department primarily echoed the stance it shared in early April when it released the findings of the investigation into Byers’ death. The full statement is as follows:

“The Chesterfield County Police Department stands by the actions taken by its officers on July 8, 2023, when they responded to a 911 call for reports of breaking and entering in a residential neighborhood in Chesterfield County. Our officers have a duty to protect the community and the right to protect themselves, and our officers did both.

In response to the 911 call, our officers were dispatched to the scene of the crime, where they immediately encountered an unrelenting, threatening, and unknown suspect armed with a hatchet in a Chesterfield County neighborhood on a Saturday afternoon in the middle of summer. Despite more than fifteen (15) verbal commands to drop the hatchet and a Taser deployment, the suspect refused to drop the hatchet he had clenched in his right hand. The officers gave additional commands to drop the hatchet and time for the suspect to comply. However, instead of complying with the officers’ commands and dropping the hatchet, the suspect responded by challenging the officers to “come get it”.

Our officers, relying on their extensive training and based on the totality of the circumstances presented to them at the time, took necessary and appropriate actions. Again, we stand by the actions of our officers.

Our department learned, after the fact, that the suspect with the hatchet was Mr. Byers. We, along with the responding officers, only learned in the hours after the shooting that the suspect, Mr. Byers, was released from the custody of a hospital and then the custody of another law enforcement agency while still under the temporary detention order. An order that had been entered because there was a substantial likelihood that as a result of mental illness that Mr. Byers would cause or suffer serious harm.

The death of Mr. Byers is an outcome no one wanted, including our Police Department and our officers. The impacts of Mr. Byers’ death continue to be felt by our community, our officers and, most significantly, by the Byers family. Our hearts go out to them. We remain thankful for the residents who called 911 that day, and the resident who jumped in without hesitation to help our officers render aid to Mr. Byers. Events like this bring further attention to the weaknesses in our mental health system and reinforce the need for improved communications related to mental health constituents and the services they need. The Chesterfield County Police Department remains committed to being a partner in advocating for meaningful and effective changes that will better serve our community.

We understand from media reports that the Byers family is now seeking to add the County and its officer to the already pending litigation. As such, this will be the Police Department’s last statement on this matter.”

Acting Chief Frank Carpenter and Deputy Chief Dave Shand of the Chesterfield County Police Department

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