Virginia man killed by police was shot in back of head, family lawyer says

Associated Press in Newport News, Virginia
Thursday 30 July 2015 22.03 BST

The attorney for the family of a 23-year-old man killed by police in Virginia said Thursday that the medical examiner’s report indicates he was shot in the back of the head.

Kawanza Jamal Beaty was fatally shot at about 2am on July 4. Newport News police have said Beaty was carrying a sawed-off shotgun and ignored police calls to drop the weapon after a foot chase. Beaty was originally hiding the weapon underneath a military-style, camouflage jacket when officers first approached him and said they needed to speak with him, according to police.

Police have said the three officers who responded believed Beaty, who was black, was raising the shotgun toward them when one of them fired at him. The shotgun later was found to be unloaded and reported stolen.

Police have not released the identities or races of the officers involved, but have said the officer who fired the fatal shot had been involved in a previous shooting.

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