HENRICO COUNTY, Va. – A Virginia police officer is charged with voluntary manslaughter following a fatal shooting that occurred on I-64 in Henrico County in November, according to a report.
Henrico Police Officer Tim Million III was indicted by a special Grand Jury, according to Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor, WTVR reported.
Million fatally shot Tony Elliott Singleton, 53, of Norfolk, Virginia, on November 6, 2021, the prosecutor said, thus leading to the criminal charges.
Singleton was driving on I-64, near the 295 split in eastern Henrico, when he crashed and his vehicle flipped, according to police at the time.
“The officer arrived on the scene and, during an encounter with the driver, discharged his weapon, striking the driver,” a Henrico Police spokesperson wrote at the time. “Both the driver and passenger were taken to an area hospital to be treated. The driver died from his injuries.”
According to Taylor, members of the Grand Jury watched officer bodycam video and heard from witnesses prior to making their decision to indict, according to the news outlet.
“The charge that we have here today is reflective of an action where one may have observed something and overreacted to a situation,” Taylor said.
Taylor acknowledged that Singleton was carrying a bladed weapon when he was shot by Million. However, the prosecutor did not articulate details regarding the blade and what role it did or did not play. She only said it was in Singleton’s waistband.
“I do think it’s important to let the public know that in the course of this investigation, the driver Mr. Singleton did have an edged weapon on his person,” Taylor said. “That information was presented to the special Grand Jury panel.”
The Henrico Police Department has not yet commented on the officer’s indictment.
Singleton’s criminal background was primarily driving and alcohol offenses, according to WTVR.
“With new laws that were put into place from the Virginia General Assembly regarding how we are to view officer-involved shootings, that we give the same review and analysis of a case that does involve an officer and whether or not they have violated the law, and in this case it was a Grand Jury that made that decision that they violated the law,” Taylor said. “It’s supposed to be for the public to know that irrespective of who the person is who’s subject of the investigation, that it is our job to ensure that the evidence is presented in the fairest way and to make sure that due process for any individual is going to be utmost critical and that we are going to ensure that that’s going to happen.”
Million is scheduled to make a court appearance February 28.
