A Cumberland County man was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy Tuesday night after authorities said he refused commands to drop his handgun after the deputy responded to a shots-fired call.
The man, identified as Bennett McKay, 49, of Cumberland Courthouse, died at the scene. His body was taken to the state medical examiner’s office in Richmond for an autopsy, state police said in a release.
The incident began about 8:30 p.m. when the Cumberland Sheriff’s Office received a call for shots being fired at a residence on Stoney Point Road at Cumberland Courthouse.
When a deputy arrived, he was confronted by an armed man who refused to comply with the deputy’s commands to drop his gun. The man was then shot by the deputy, who was not injured, state police said.
The Cumberland Sheriff’s Office has asked Virginia State Police to assist in investigating the incident. In accordance to sheriff’s office policy, the deputy has been place on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Police declined to identify the deputy.
