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Richmond dad says he was smoking on front porch when officers opened fire

Posted at 6:59 PM, May 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-14 23:15:56-04

RICHMOND, Va. – The man officers fired at during an incident at a South Richmond home said what happened was a misunderstanding and that he never would have drawn his weapon if he knew officers were approaching Saturday night.

The situation began around 10:55 p.m. when officers responded to reports of a “disorderly person” at a home along the 3800 block of Cheverly Road, near Cherokee Road.

Police said a neighbor called officers because a man was threatening to shoot another man.

When officers arrived, officials said they encountered a man on the home's front porch. During that encounter, police said three officers fired their service weapons.

"They came in really fast, I drew on them, and they started shooting at me," the man fired on by police said.

That man, who said he has a concealed carry permit and had his weapon on him, told WTVR CBS 6 reporter Jake Burns that he was sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette when he heard cars pull into the driveway.

He claimed he did not realize the cars pulling up were police cruisers because it was late at night.

He said that spooked him, so he pulled out his weapon.

"I'm out numbered, out gunned, so I hit the deck," he said.

The man said he did not fire his gun and dropped the weapon.

“People are going to say, ‘Look you pulled the gun on them. They have a right to fire.’” Burns said. “What do you say to that?”

“I would never, in my life, pull a weapon on a police officer,” the man said, “That's a lose-lose situation. If I would have seen a blue light, if I would have seen some indication they were officers, I would have just held my ground and been like, 'What's going on?'"

The man involved spoke with WTVR CBS 6 News Sunday afternoon on the condition of anonymity because he is a father and does not want negative attention brought to his family.

He said his son was inside the house at the time of the shooting.

"When I was in the back of the cop car, all I was yelling and crying about was to make sure my son was OK."

The man, who has not been arrested or charged in this case, claimed the initial call was the result of a misunderstanding.

Richmond police said their Force Investigation Unit is actively investigating the incident and that two weapons were recovered from the scene.

WTVR CBS 6 contacted RPD about the man’s claims. But since the investigation is still ongoing, a spokespersons said they cannot "directly address those details.”

Stay with WTVR.com and watch CBS 6 News at 11 p.m. for updates on this developing story.

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