PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Neighbors spoke to News 3 to shed more light onto the hostage situation that led to police shooting and killing the suspect on Sunday.
Virginia State Police identified the suspect as 38-year-old Robert Nicholson in an update shared with News 3 on Monday. Commonwealth Avenue neighbor Mike — who didn't want to show his face on camera — detailed what he witnessed during the hostage situation on Sunday.
"When he ran in the house he took his roommate hostage with a knife," Mike said.
Watch previous coverage: Portsmouth police fatally shoot hostage suspect after domestic assault
According to the Portsmouth Police Department, officers responded around 3:53 p.m. to a reported domestic assault near the intersection of Pullman Avenue and Turnpike Road. When officers arrived, they saw a white male suspect strike a female victim with a vehicle before fleeing the scene, police said.
Officers pursued the suspect to a residence in the 3500 block of Commonwealth Avenue. Police said the suspect threatened his own life with a knife before taking another occupant hostage at knifepoint.
Police said officers attempted to negotiate with the suspect to de-escalate the situation. However, Nicholson continued threatening the hostage's life, leading an officer to fire their weapon. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Neighbor Emanuel Yancey captured video of police cars and swat teams swarming the area on Sunday. He described the scene to News 3 in an interview on Monday.
"It was quite concerning," Yancey said. "I saw a panic. I saw people afraid."
The roommate who says was held hostage on Sunday told News 3 he wasn't injured physically during the incident. He made it clear that he did not want to speak with reporters, but he did say the ordeal was emotionally damaging.
The officer who opened fire on Nicholson is on administrative leave while Virginia State Police investigate the decision to use deadly force. Portsmouth police will continue to investigate Nicholson’s actions prior to the hostage situation, which, according to authorities, resulted in a woman being hospitalized after she was hit by an SUV.
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