Death of William Chapman
| Time | 7:30 a.m. |
|---|---|
| Date | April 22, 2015 |
| Location | Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S. |
| Participants |
William Chapman (death) Stephen D. Rankin (shooter) |
| Deaths | William Chapman |
| Charges | First degree murder |
| Convictions | Voluntary manslaughter |
The death of William L. Chapman II, an 18-year-old man, occurred on April 22, 2015, in Portsmouth, Virginia, when Chapman was shot and killed in a Wal-Mart parking lot by Portsmouth Police Officer Stephen D. Rankin. Rankin had been responding to a report of suspected shoplifting, and engaged in a physical struggle with Chapman while trying to arrest him. The shooting occurred approximately four years after the death of Kirill Denyakin, who died after being shot by Rankin in 2011.[1][2]
In September 2015, Rankin was indicted on the charge of first-degree murder in Chapman's death, and was found guilty by a jury of voluntary manslaughter on August 4, 2016.
Shooting
Wal-Mart store security called police at 7:30 a.m., reporting that a shoplifter was leaving the store. Rankin approached William Chapman across the parking lot, and a struggle between the two ensued. According to witnesses, Chapman broke free but then stepped back towards Rankin, at which point Rankin shot him twice.[1][3][4][5][6] He was shot in the face and chest.[7] An autopsy on Chapman found no evidence of a close-range gunshot, indicating that he was shot from several feet away.[8] He was pronounced dead at the scene. Chapman's body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner with his hands cuffed behind his back. A state toxicology report indicated Chapman had no traces of alcohol or drugs in his system.[9]
Legal proceedings
The Commonwealth of Virginia's Attorney's Office announced they were seeking an indictment.[7] On September 3, a grand jury indicted Rankin on a charge of first degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Rankin turned himself in to a jail and was released on $75,000 bond.[10][11][12]
Prosecutors said that Rankin could have used non-lethal force, noting that every witness but Rankin testified Chapman had his hands up in the air. Rankin's defense said that he had to shoot Chapman after a stun gun failed to stop him. Rankin claimed in court that Chapman charged at him. Gregory Provo, a Wal-Mart security guard who reported the allegations of Chapman shoplifting, testified that Chapman never charged at the officer, and had his hands raised in a boxing-style, and said "Are you going to fucking shoot me?" as he was standing six feet away from Chapman. On August 4, 2016, Rankin was found not guilty by a jury of first-degree murder, but was found guilty on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.[13]
References
- 1 2 Jon Swaine. "Autopsy indicates officer shot unarmed teen William Chapman from distance". the Guardian.
- ↑ "Stephen Rankin: the military-trained officer who killed two unarmed men". The Guardian. June 1, 2015.
- ↑ Jon Swaine. "William Chapman: unarmed 18-year-old shot dead by officer who killed before". the Guardian.
- ↑ "Portsmouth officer who shot 18-year-old killed another in 2011". The Virginian-Pilot.
- ↑ "Police fatally shot man in Portsmouth, handcuffed him, paper reports". The Virginian-Pilot.
- ↑ "Prosecutor reviewing evidence from 2 fatal officer-involved shootings investigations". The Virginian-Pilot.
- 1 2 Ballesteros, Stephen (August 27, 2015). "Indictment to be sought in Portsmouth officer-involved shooting". WAVY.
- ↑ Jon Swaine. "William Chapman: state official will seek to prosecute officer who killed teenager". the Guardian.
- ↑ Hafner, Katherine (September 5, 2015). "Portsmouth officer charged in shooting death is released on bond". Hampton Roads.
- ↑ M. Alex Johnson. "Cop Fired After Indictment in Killing of Virginia Teen William Chapman". NBC News.
- ↑ Jon Swaine. "Police officer indicted for first-degree murder in death of unarmed teenager". the Guardian.
- ↑ "Virginia police officer indicted for murder in April shooting". Reuters. September 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Verdict reached for former officer accused in black teen's killing". CBS News. August 4, 2016.