Mother-of-four shot and killed by Virginia police after 'threatening' them with a fake handgun

How dumb can you get?



A young woman was shot and killed by police officers in Virginia on Saturday after she allegedly threatened them with what turned out to be a fake handgun.

India Beaty, 25, was approached by police officers who were conducting a surveillance operation when they came across a fight in the parking lot, according to police.

Investigators with the Norfolk Police Department's Vice and Narcotics Division said saw a woman involved in the altercation wave around what they believed was a handgun and threaten an unarmed man.

The officers approached Beaty, who refused to comply with their demands and made a threatening motion with the handgun before the officers fatally shot her, the department said.

An investigation determined that the handgun was a non-firing replica.

The officers have been pulled from the field and placed on administrative duty until the investigation is complete.

Names of the officers won't be released while the investigation is under way, according to the department.

Cpl. Melinda Wray, a police spokeswoman, said she didn't know the races of the officers who were involved.

Officers involved in the shooting as well as other eyewitnesses were at police headquarters Saturday morning to give their accounts, according to Wray.

Beaty was pronounced dead at the scene. Beaty's family members told WAVY-TV that she was the mother-of-four.

Norfolk Police Chief Michael Goldsmith said his thoughts and prayers are with Beaty's loved ones.

'Any loss of life is tragic,' Goldsmith said in a statement. 'This morning's events affect not only my officers and Ms. Beaty's family members, but our entire community,' he said.

The Virginian-Pilot reported that it was the third police-involved shooting in Norfolk this year.

Earlier this month, Norfolk police shot and killed Tyre Privott. The 25-year-old was a suspect in a killing and was confronted by police while walking in the road.

Privott shot at police and an officer fired, striking and killing him, police said.

Original report here


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