CHESAPEAKE, Va. - An off-duty Norfolk Police officer was awarded a $50K bond after being charged with voluntary manslaughter in the January shooting death of a Chesapeake man in a Food Lion parking lot.
According to the Chesapeake Police Department, 34-year-old Edmund Hoyt turned himself in to the Chesapeake City Jail Thursday and was served with a warrant for the death of 42-year-old Kelvin White.
According to police, on January 19, 2020, Hoyt is accused of driving to the 2600 block of Bainbridge Boulevard after receiving a call from a family member that a man had just threatened them with a weapon. When Hoyt arrived in the area, he was reportedly directed towards White.
Hoyt, who was off-duty and not in uniform at the time, confronted White. Police said that during the confrontation, Hoyt reportedly shot White.
Police arrived on scene and White was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Officials said Hoyt is still employed with the City of Norfolk Police Department and has been on administrative duty since the shooting on January 19. Hoyt joined the Norfolk Police Department in 2018.
Hoyt was previously granted no bond, however he had a bond appeal hearing Wednesday morning.
During the bond appeal hearing, Hoyt's wife and a colleague of his on the Norfolk Police Department took the stand.
The judge granted him with a $50,000 bond.
“The judge’s ruling was fair today it was based upon the evidence that was presented.” Butt bite “All the facts that the court considers determining if a defendant’s a risk of flight and or a danger to the community. So, the court found that he wasn’t and so the court set bond appropriately.”
Hoyt must undergo drug and alcohol screening and cannot possess any weapons. He will still be able to maintain employment, according to the judge.
“I think he should suspended without pay I think there should be a state law or a United States law that because basically it’s a vacation I look at is as a vacation because people are sitting there losing loved ones but their sitting home on administrative duty and still getting paid it’s so unfair,” Gerard White, the victim's brother, told News 3.
Hoyt and his family surrendered their passports to court and the next court date is expected to be in November.
