Kawanza Beaty, 23
Newport News, Virginia
July 04, 2015
Agencies: Newport News Police Department Virginia
Cause of death: Shooting
Last updated: almost 6 years ago
People tracking this case: 1 -- Click here to Track this.
Overview 
At a press conference Saturday afternoon, Newport News Police Chief Richard Myers revealed that prior to killing him, police received information from "a well-known and trusted source" that 23-year-old Kawanza Beaty - was armed with a sawed-off shotgun. This was the second time in the last couple of days that police had recieved information about Beaty being armed. A day or two before the incident, Myers said a different group of police searched Beaty and a residence for a firearm but didn't find one. Myers said the officers talked about how to approach Beaty, then saw him with someone at the corner of Oak Avenue and 18th Street. According to Myers, he started to walk away when officers got out of their vehicles and ignored their calls that he stop and that they needed to talk to him. Myers said Beaty began to run in the direction of the Peterson Yacht Basin and the officers gave chase. At some point, Beaty turned and officers reported seeing the shotgun, Myers said.
Newport News Police on Friday July 10, 2015 released additional information relating to the case and two ongoing investigations. On August 5, 2015, Newport News police announced that a small amount of DNA was found on the gun recovered near Beaty's body, but it may have come from more than one person because at least two police officers handled the weapon at the scene.
Legal Action
The Beaty Family announced on July 29 that they intend to file a wrongful death suit against Newport News Police.
The attorney for the family of a 23-year-old man killed by police in Virginia said Thursday that the medical examiner’s report indicates he was shot in the back of the head. Newport News police spokesman Lou Thurston confirmed Thursday that Beaty’s fingerprints and DNA were not found on the shotgun police reports said he was brandishing.
Randy J. Gibson Jr., 36, who began as a Newport News police officer eight years ago, was identified by multiple anonymous sources as the narcotics detective who shot Kawanza J. Beaty. Gibson previously shot an unarmed man in 2012, leaving the man paralyzed.
It was reported on October 25, 2015 that all five Newport News Circuit Court judges had recused themselves from presiding over a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit in the Beaty shooting.
On Friday, February, 26, 2016, it was reported that the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Newport News found no wrongdoing in the shooting death of Kawanza Beaty.
June 2016 #BlackLivesmatter says family is being harassed and intimidated.
Community and Family Efforts
The Beaty family announced plans to ask the U.S. Justice Department to thoroughly review the deadly incident.
Pastors from two Newport News churches released a statement Tuesday about Kawanza Beaty’s death. Reverend Dr. Dwight Riddick, of Gethsemane Baptist Church, and Reverend Dr. Kevin Swann, of Ivy Baptist Church, said the following: As a clergy group, we are concerned with all acts of violence, not just ones involving police officers. Anytime a person is killed in our community, regardless of by whom, it should have an impact on all citizens in Newport News.
Additional Resources:
- https://wmbrgblacklivesmatter.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/unjust-jail-time-for-father-of-son-shot-by-police/ added June 11, 2016 21:53
- http://www.nncwa.com/news/2016/2016-02-26.htm added February 29, 2016 07:12
- https://www.change.org/p/melisa-dargan-stopping-police-brutality-in-newport-news-virginia/u/15648644?recruiter=358095064&utm_source=share_update&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=facebook_link added February 29, 2016 07:06
- https://www.facebook.com/dpphotojournalism/photos/a.295955380602665.1073741828.295945580603645/457222264475975/?type=3 added February 29, 2016 07:05
- https://www.facebook.com/dailypressnews/posts/10153397173098321 added February 29, 2016 07:03
- https://www.facebook.com/13NewsNow/posts/10153950676813630 added February 29, 2016 07:02
- http://wavy.com/2016/02/26/ca-finds-no-wrong-doing-in-shooting-death-of-kawanza-beaty/ added February 28, 2016 19:08
- http://www.dailypress.com/news/crime/dp-nws-crime-notebook-1025-20151025-story.html added October 26, 2015 01:11
- http://www.dailypress.com/news/crime/dp-nws-beaty-shooting-officer-20150827-story.html added August 28, 2015 09:55
- http://www.dailypress.com/news/newport-news/dp-nws-nn-beaty-shotgun-dna-20150806-story.html added August 07, 2015 11:31
- http://www.dailypress.com/news/newport-news/dp-family-of-many-killed-by-police-will-file-wrongful-death-suit-20150729-story.html added July 30, 2015 12:12
- http://wavy.com/2015/07/07/in-wake-of-police-shooting-pastors-express-concern-with-all-acts-of-violence/ added July 08, 2015 09:36
- http://www.dailypress.com/news/crime/dp-nws-police-shooting-folo-20150706-story.html#page=1 added July 07, 2015 10:20
- http://www.dailypress.com/news/newport-news/dp-officer-involved-shooting-in-newport-news-leaves-victim-dead-20150704-story.html#page=1 added July 04, 2015 21:24