NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Newport News Police officers shot and killed an “agitated” man who, according to police, pointed a weapon at them Monday after they “repeatedly” asked him to put it down.
At 5:27 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 14, officers responded to the King’s Ridge Apartments in the 500 block of Crown Court after neighbors called and reported a suicidal person. According to police, when they arrived, officers tried to de-escalate the situation.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said 39-year-old Aaron Dusinberre was expressing suicidal thoughts to officers.
“He was angry,” Drew said. “He stated several times he did not want to live. He didn’t want to go on. He didn’t want to do this anymore.”
After failed attempts to connect with the individual, Drew said Dusinberre pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the officers.
Three officers fired their weapons toward the man.
“During this conversation, Aaron is moving the firearm all around,” Drew said. “He raised the firearm and pointed it in the direction of the officers — and that is when the officers fire their weapons.”
The man collapsed to the ground and officers tended to him before he was taken to the hospital, where he later died. Newport News Police forensics recovered the weapon, which was later determined to be a BB gun, police said.
Although Drew continued to refer to the BB gun as a firearm, in Virginia, a BB gun is not technically considered a firearm. However, based on photos, Drew said it had the appearance of a firearm. It also did not have an orange tip — a common distinction of a BB gun.
“When I saw the photograph, I couldn’t tell that it was a BB gun,” Drew said.
Based on the interactions between the man and officers and Dusinberre’s refusal to put down his weapon, Drew said he believed this incident could potentially fit into the description of suicide by cop.
“It would lead me to that — due to his comments, [like] ‘I don’t want to live,'” Drew said. “He told [officers,] ‘I’m not going to put down my firearm. I’m going to keep it on my lap.'”
Drew said officers at the scene had Critical Incident Training, which is mandatory in the Newport News police academy. According to him, officers did everything they could to de-escalate.
The chief was emotional as he talked about the man’s death.
“I ask you to keep –” Drew said, then paused to gather his next words before continuing, “I ask you to keep Aaron and his family in your prayers, as well as the officers involved.”
Shimiki Perrin’s mother, who lives next door to Dusinberre, spoke to him before the standoff.
“When my mom got off, she spoke to him,” Shimiki Perrin said. “She said, ‘Hi,’ like she always does — and he told her to ‘go in the house and don’t come back out for a while.’ She asked him what was wrong. She didn’t see the gun at first, but [then] saw the gun beside him.”
Perrin recalled a conversation with the man, “that whatever he was going to do, he was going to do to himself, so I guess he wanted police to do it.”
Drew spoke with Dusinberre’s parents. He said Aaron’s father was not surprised by his phone call.
No officers were injured during this interaction. The officers involved were put on paid administrative leave with pay, pending the completion of the investigation, which is ongoing.
This is the fourth time in 2024 in which Newport News police officers shot and killed someone they were trying to bring in. None of the officers involved in Monday’s shooting had been involved in the previous incidents.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRIC ABC 8News.
Local News
