Virginia officer who fatally shot Donovon Lynch won't face charges

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY/NBC) – The Virginia Beach police officer who fatally shot 25-year-old Donovon Lynch will not face charges as a special grand jury ruled the shooting as self-defense.

The Virginia Beach Commonwealth Attorney’s Office made the announcement Tuesday afternoon after a thorough presentation that included body-worn camera video of several officers from the night of the shooting.

None of the released video showed Officer Solomon D. Simmons shooting Lynch on Virginia Beach’s oceanfront in the overnight hours of March 26th.

According to the commonwealth’s attorney, the special grand jury found the evidence to show that Donovon Lynch could have been perceived as a threat to Officer Simmons and others in the area after an earlier multiple shooting nearby.

Investigators said that Lynch had a registered gun with a round in the chamber at the time, and the gun was found in the bush line right next to where Lynch was shot.

Officer Simmons fired three shots during the incident.