An airport police officer was arrested after law enforcement received reports that a man with a gun was standing on a rooftop overlooking a controversial Robert E. Lee statue that has been the site of recent protests.
Riley O’Shaughnessey, a 38-year-old police officer at Richmond International Airport, was charged on Saturday with a misdemeanor count of trespassing. Police first received a 911 call about O’Shaughnessey at about 6:30 a.m., when he was seen “on the roof of an unoccupied building overlooking the Lee monument,” according to NBC News.
Law enforcement officers initially told people before taking the man into custody at about 8:45 a.m.
“1805 Monument Avenue is now secured. The armed individual found there is now in custody. No shots fired. The building will now be searched for any other threats. Pleas continue to avoid the Lee@Monument area until the all clear is given,” police tweeted.
1805 Monument Avenue is now secured. The armed individual found there is now in custody. No shots fired. The building will now be searched for any other threats. Pleas continue to avoid the Lee@Monument area until the all clear is given. pic.twitter.com/sh4ycdfS2k
— Richmond Police (@RichmondPolice) June 20, 2020
Police later said in a statement that O’Shaughnessey was not charged with any weapons violations.
“There is no weapons charge as it was being carried lawfully,” police said, adding that he “was not carrying any law enforcement identification” when he was detained.
The statue of Lee, now covered in graffiti, has been the site of numerous protests following the death of George Floyd. Earlier this month, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced that the statue would be removed, although a 10-day injunction was granted that temporarily blocks Virginia from removing the statue. That injunction was later extended.
