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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Latest on a Virginia man who was shot by police after authorities say he attacked an officer with an ax (all times local):
5:30 p.m.
The mother of a man killed by police in Virginia says he dealt with "mental issues" but was not the kind of person who would harm anyone.
Police say officers fatally shot Alexander Schoessel on Tuesday after he attacked an officer with a small ax.
Schoessel's mother told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the 23-year-old was known by his all of his friends as a "sweet, gentle young man."
Richelle Tucker said Schoessel dealt with "mental issues" in the past, but she declined to elaborate.
Tucker said her family is struggling to deal with the man's sudden death.
Police and witnesses say that before he was shot, Schoessel had been walking around downtown with an ax and a long knife, wearing nothing but a kilt and combat-style boots.
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3:30 p.m.
Authorities have identified a Virginia man who police killed after officials say the shirtless, kilt-wearing man attacked an officer with a small ax.
Richmond police identified the man Wednesday as 23-year-old Alexander J. Schoessel of Chester.
Police and witnesses say that before he was shot on Tuesday, Schoessel had been walking around downtown with an ax and a long knife, wearing nothing but a kilt and combat-style boots.
Police say officers tried to get the man to drop his weapons, but he wouldn't comply and instead attacked police, prompting Officers Nicholas Pechstein and Joshua Sanborn to fire their weapons.
Authorities say Officer John Rotondi was caught in the line of fire, as a bullet hit his protective vest. Rotondi has been released from the hospital.
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