VIRGINIA BEACH — It started with a domestic dispute and ended with a man dead following an officer-involved shooting at the Oceanfront Tuesday morning.
Police identified the man as Michael James Murphy, 43, of Norfolk.
Police said “a three-tiered investigation is being conducted by the Department’s Investigative Division/Homicide Unit, the Internal Affairs Division and the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney.”
Officers were sent to the Mayflower Apartments, 205 34th St. at around 1:38 a.m. to investigate a “domestic disturbance.”
“A caller advised that when he heard what was believed to be a domestic disturbance, he looked into the hallway and observed a male suspect assaulting a female victim,” police spokeswoman Linda Kuehn said in a news release.
Police said a “Good Samaritan” who witnessed the domestic incident tried to intervene, armed himself with a long gun, but did not discharge it.
Police said the suspect fled on foot, crossing Pacific Avenue.
“A witness flagged officers down as they arrived on scene, alerting them which way the suspect was running, a description of the suspect, and that the suspect was armed with a gun,” Kuehn said.
Officers found the suspect in the 300 block of 35th Street with a gun.
They gave “verbal commands” for the suspect to drop the weapon. He did not comply, and pointed his gun at the officers, police said.
One of the officers shot back and struck the man, who died at the scene.
“The officer who discharged his service weapon was not wearing a body camera, as they have not yet been issued to second precinct officers,” Kuehn said, adding the officer was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The woman in the center of the domestic situation was taken to a local hospital. She “was struck multiple times by the suspect with a metal object resulting in serious injuries.”
“At this time those injuries are believed to be non-life threatening,” Kuehn said.
