Pharrell Williams calls for investigation into the death of his cousin in a police-involved shooting
The musician's cousin was killed the same night in the same area as 'Bad Girls Club' star Deshayla Harris
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pharrell Williams called on the state of Virginia to launch an investigation into the death of his cousin, who died in a police-involved shooting on Virginia Beach.
Williams made the request in an Instagram post on Monday after attending his cousin's funeral in Virginia Beach, where Williams grew up.
"I had to speak at my cousin’s funeral, and was choked up with emotions," he wrote in the post. "Too many unanswered City and State questions. Respectfully, I am calling for a Federal investigation. I also humbly ask that you all keep the family in prayer."
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Pharrell Williams is calling for an investigation into the death of his cousin in Virginia Beach. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Donovon Lynch, 25, was killed in the early morning hours of March 27 along the city’s popular oceanfront strip of hotels and restaurants shortly after two other nearby shootings unleashed chaos. Police said Lynch, a Black man, had a handgun and that it was recovered from the scene. But the officer’s body camera had not been activated. The officer who killed Lynch is also Black.
The city’s police department recently turned over the investigation into Lynch’s death to the Virginia State Police.
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Lynch lived in Virginia Beach. He was an offensive lineman for the University of Virginia’s College at Wise during the 2017 and 2018 seasons and a 2019 graduate of the school.
The same night Lynch died, "Bad Girls Club" star Deshayla Harris, 29, of Norfolk was killed in a separate shooting incident that took place very close by. A third shooting also took place in the same area on that same night leaving many residents with questions about their safety in the area as warm weather and lightening coronavirus restrictions bring more people.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Eight other people were wounded during the evening’s gunfire, a report from local WAVY said.
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Police also took three men into custody. They were identified as Ahmon Jahree Adams, 22, of Chesapeake; Nyquez Tyyon Baker, 18, of Virginia Beach; and Devon Maurice Dorsey Jr., 20, of Virginia Beach, according to WAVY.
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All three men were linked to the evening’s first shooting, which resulted in no deaths, the station reported. They were each charged with seven counts of felonious assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and reckless handling of a firearm, the report said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.