Police shoot man accused of holding his wife captive in Richmond: 'He pulled out a firearm'

RICHMOND, Va. — Police shot a man Friday night after he pulled a semi-automatic pistol on officers who were attempting to arrest him for allegedly holding his wife against her will inside a South Richmond apartment, Police Chief Rick Edwards said.

The suspect, a man whose name has not yet been released, was shot in the leg and transported to a local hospital where he is listed in stable condition. Officers applied a tourniquet at the scene before he was taken for treatment. No other individuals were injured.

"As they were attempting to place that suspect in custody, the subject pulled a firearm out and shots were fired by our officers," Edwards said. "A firearm belonging to the suspect was recovered from the scene."

Edwards said the suspect had a semi-automatic pistol and that investigators are still working to determine whether he fired his weapon. Both officers who fired their service weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shooting investigations.

WATCH: Police chief details officer-involved shooting at Richmond apartment

The incident began when the suspect himself called 911 around 8 p.m. Friday at an apartment complex in the 4600 block of Southwood Parkway. Officers spent approximately 50 minutes on scene before shots were fired. The delay was partly due to a language barrier — the domestic assault victim is a Latina woman who does not speak English, requiring a Spanish-speaking officer to respond to properly interview her.

"The suspect is a white male who speaks English," Edwards said. "The victim in this case, the domestic assault victim, is Latina who didn't speak English, so we needed a Spanish-speaking officer to respond so they could properly interview her."

Through that interview, investigators determined the suspect had been holding his wife against her will inside the apartment. Edwards said the woman reported the two were married, though it is unclear whether the marriage is common law or legally formalized.

"He was holding the wife against her will. When he was confronted outside by the officers, when they got to the bottom of it with the translation, they were able to attempt to take him into custody, and that's when he pulled out a firearm and shots were fired by our officers," Edwards said.

The abduction took place inside the apartment. The shooting occurred outside.

Edwards said the suspect is expected to face charges of domestic abduction in addition to charges related to pulling a weapon on officers. The Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney's Office has been notified. Additional charges will depend in part on the suspect's criminal history and whether he is legally permitted to possess a firearm.

"We will consult with the Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney about additional charges on him for not only what happened with his wife, but what happened with the officers as well," Edwards said.

WATCH: Chief explains 50-minute timeline before Richmond shooting

The domestic assault victim was uninjured and was speaking with detectives Friday night. Edwards said the department wants the community — particularly residents who may be hesitant to call police due to immigration concerns — to know this was solely a Richmond Police investigation with no federal involvement.

"This was not some sort of raid. This was not involving any federal authorities. This was solely a Richmond police investigation," Edwards said. "We would continue to encourage them to call us. That's why we wanted to get the message out there."

Edwards said investigators are reviewing body camera footage and searching for additional surveillance cameras in the area.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Major Crimes Detective M. Young at 804-646-3926 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. Anonymous tips can be submitted through the P3 Tips app. Edwards noted that Spanish-speaking officers are available to assist callers for whom language is a barrier.

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