Portsmouth Police Officer on Trial Six Years After Shooting Deontrace Ward

Accident – Death – Obituary News : PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — A jury in Portsmouth, Virginia, visited Tatum Avenue on Wednesday, marking six years since a police officer shot a burglary suspect three times. The visit was part of the ongoing trial of Officer Jeremy Durocher, who is facing charges related to the incident.

Accompanied by Judge William Shaw III, Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Atty Haille Hogfeldt, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Warman, and defense attorney Nick Renninger, the 12 jurors were given a brief opportunity to observe the area where the shooting took place. They were not allowed to ask questions and spent only about 15 minutes at the scene.

The trial continued with Officer Durocher taking the stand. Currently working for the Portsmouth criminal investigations unit, Durocher joined the Portsmouth Police Department in December 2016 with a commitment to protect the city.

Durocher recalled the events of October 2017 when he responded to a burglary call. He described the moment he encountered the suspect, later identified as Deontrace Ward, stating that he saw Ward “crouched down” in the back of the house with a “gun pointed” at him. Durocher claimed to have seen an “all-black handgun” aimed directly at him.

During his testimony, Durocher analyzed frame-by-frame footage from his body camera, explaining that he was trained to use his gun if a suspect had a firearm. He asserted, “Without a doubt, he had a firearm in his hand.” Durocher fired two shots at Ward before the suspect jumped over a fence, just moments away from reaching other officers. Durocher fired two more shots, ultimately bringing Ward down. He emphasized that this was the first time he had ever discharged his weapon while on duty.

While recounting the incident, Durocher became emotional twice. He stressed that Ward posed an “active threat” to the other officers. However, the prosecutor challenged Durocher’s recollection of events, pointing out that the officer had expressed fear during the encounter. The prosecution also focused on still frames from the footage to present Ward’s actions while running and climbing the fence.

After Durocher’s testimony, the defense rested its case. The courtroom was filled with police officers showing support for Durocher. Defense attorney Del. Don Scott motioned for a mistrial, citing two reasons. Firstly, a juror was photographed in 2021 with Tamara Shewmake, the chief administrator at the Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office and a member of the Portsmouth School Board. While the juror claimed not to know Shewmake beyond her role on the school board, Scott argued that the juror’s impartiality could be compromised. Secondly, another juror revealed that she had taught a witness 25 years ago and was currently friends with them on Facebook. Scott argued that this connection also tainted the jury pool.

Despite the defense’s motion for a mistrial, Judge Shaw decided to proceed with the trial and the current jury pool.

Closing arguments are scheduled to take place on Thursday morning, with 10 On Your Side’s Chris Horne providing the latest updates on the trial..