HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The Henrico Police Officer injured in a Wednesday night shooting has been released from the hospital, according to Henrico Police.
"The preliminary investigation shows on November 29, 2023, at approximately 7:40 p.m., an attempted robbery occurred at a business in the 2900 block of Williamsburg Road. An adult male entered the business and demanded money while displaying a firearm. During that incident, the suspect abducted an employee and attempted to rob another employee," a Henrico Police spokesperson wrote in an email. "As officers arrived on the scene, they located the suspect who then ran from the business. Officers engaged in a foot pursuit through the area, where the suspect then fired a gun at officers in the 4800 block of Hillbrook Avenue."
The suspect, identified by police as 23-year-old Michael Allendor Byrd, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with:
- Malicious Wounding
- Possession of a Firearm by a Violent Felon
- Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony (x5)
- Attempted Robbery (x2)
- Abduction (x2)
Police said they are not looking for other suspects.
Crime Insider sources told CBS 6 that he attempted to rob an auto parts store on Williamsburg Rd. near Brittles Lane.
Tammy Allen manages a gas station a few doors down from that store.
"I was a little scared about what happened after I found out what had happened. I was concerned for my employees," Allen said.
She added that is was the latest in a string of armed robberies or attempted armed robberies in the past month, including her own store a few weeks ago.
"I was not here when that one happened. One of my employees was here. And she got held up at gunpoint approximately the beginning of the month. And she did what was asked," she said. "The guy came in and he demanded all of the money. He pointed and held the cashier at gunpoint and he took all of the money."
Allen said the suspect in her store's case was wearing a ski mask, something other businesses CBS 6 spoke to mentioned.
When asked if Byrd was a suspect in those cases, police told CBS 6 "[c]urrently our detectives continue to follow up on leads and investigate those individual cases." However, Crime Insider sources said Byrd is considered a suspect.
Byrd appeared in court Thursday morning where he was arraigned on the charges.
Afterwards, a woman who said she was Byrd's mother spoke to CBS 6 and said while she did not know exactly what happened Wednesday night, the things he is accused of are not the person that she knows and said her son was "loving and kind".
She added Byrd's father was not involved in his life and when he was younger had hung around with the wrong crowd, but said he was getting his life together.
Byrd was given a court appointed attorney and was told he would continue to be held without bond, but his attorney could request a bond hearing.
If not, his next scheduled court appearance is January 24.
Anyone with information was asked to call Henrico Police at 804-501-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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