CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A Chesterfield Grand Jury indicted a Richmond Police Officer on second-degree murder charges in the shooting death of Paterson Brown Jr. David L. Cobb turned himself in to Chesterfield Police after he was was charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
David Cobb (PHOTO: Chesterfield Police)
Cobb was off-duty the morning of October 17, 2015, when he brought his car to the Sunoco gas station, at 7559 Midlothian Turnpike, for a car wash.
It was there, that police said Brown,18, entered the off-duty officer's car and drove it through the wash. Brown was not employed by the gas station or the car wash, police said.
When Brown got into Cobb's car, Cobb approached Brown and told him to get out. That, police said, led to a confrontation.
"During the confrontation, the suspect [Brown] was shot and he was transported to Chippenham Hospital where he later died," a Chesterfield Police spokesperson said.
No weapon was recovered from Cobb's vehicle or on Brown’s body, police said.
Paterson Brown Jr.
Surveillance video recovered during the investigation indicated that during the confrontation, the off-duty officer fought with Brown, police said.
Cobb turned himself in Thursday. He is currently being held at the Chesterfield County Jail without bond.
Who was Paterson Brown?
Brown, a graduate of James River High School, played football in high school.
Shortly after Brown's death, childhood friend Raheim Moore called Brown his brother.
"I feel like I Iost my brother and it really hurts," Moore said in an October interview. "I was talking to Paterson two weeks ago about music about how our lives are getting better. And then [he], goes out and this happens. Why?"
Moore said Brown had been dealing with personal issues and was easily influenced by others.
Paterson Brown Jr. (left) Moore (right)
"He was a person where if he was around the right people he could do a lot of good stuff, and if he were with the bad crowd. He could go off with the bad crowd and do the most craziest stuff," Moore said.
After the shooting. a store clerk revealed Brown and two other teens came into the store bragging about partying all night. He said Brown was acting a little strange. The clerk said they left and were waiting to get a car wash behind the off-duty officer's car. That was when, he said, Brown got into the officer's car and tried to drive off.
Moore said Brown turned to music to deal with problems. He said his friend had a bright future.
"He wanted his life to be more meaningful," he said. "He wanted to be a musician. He wanted to be in college. He was really smart."
