LPD officers indicted for February officer-involved shooting

A special grand jury in Alexandria has indicted two Lynchburg Police officers in connection with an officer-involved shooting in February. Edward Ferron and Savannah Simmons both face charges that include reckless handling of a firearm resulting in serious bodily injury and unlawful wounding.  Police shot 35-year-old Walker Sigler in the leg at his Link Road home in the early morning hours of February 17. In response to the indictments, Lynchburg Police released a statement saying their  thoughts and prayers remain with the officers and the impacted family – and they are committed to the criminal justice process as it runs its course. The officers have been placed on administrative leave with pay until the conclusion of the criminal trial.

The attorney representing Walker Sigler says a police bullet shattered his leg – and the blood loss caused permanent partial loss of vision. The Lichtenstein Law Group says when Sigler was shot, his six- and three-year-old sons were sleeping upstairs as was his wife, who was eight months pregnant at the time.

(Continue reading for statements from the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Lynchburg Police and Walker Sigler’s attorney)

From the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office: On June 20, 2018, a Special Grand Jury for the City of Lynchburg returned indictments against two Lynchburg Police Officers. The indictments relate to an on-duty incident that occurred on February 17, 2018, in which the officers allegedly fired their weapons and seriously injured a City resident. Edward Ferron, age 41, and Savannah Simmons, age 22, were both indicted on three felony counts: 1)Reckless Handling of a Firearm Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, 2) Unlawful Wounding, and 3) Unlawful Shooting at an Occupied Domicile. Any person charged with a criminal offense is presumed to be innocent and the mere fact that a person has been indicted is not evidence that they are guilty of any crime. The maximum penalty on each count is 5 years of incarceration. No trial date has been set as of the time of this release. Once a trial date is set, another release will be issued.  Because a grand jury has decided to bring indictments, all body-worn camera footage is now considered evidence in a criminal case. Any release of body-worn camera footage would constitute “an extrajudicial statement” that has  “a substantial likelihood of interfering with the fairness of a trial by jury” in violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Therefore, there will be no release of the footage at this juncture. After the matter has been adjudicated in a court of law, the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney will make an appropriate release of body-worn camera footage.

From Lynchburg Police: On June 22, 2018, the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney announced that charges have been filed against two Lynchburg police officers involved in the February 17, 2018 Link Road officer involved shooting. These officers have been placed on administrative leave with pay until the conclusion of the criminal trial. We understand that this is a difficult and challenging time for everyone involved. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the officers and the impacted family. We are committed to the criminal justice process as it runs its course. The involved officers are entitled to due process during the ongoing legal proceedings, as would be anyone else charged with a criminal offense,  and are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. This incident remains an ongoing criminal case. As such, the Lynchburg Police Department will not be able to comment further on any information related to this event.
From the Lichtenstein Law Group: Walker Sigler and his family have lived a life of respect and support for the Lynchburg Police Department, and of deep involvement and devotion to the
City of Lynchburg, the city they love. On February 17, 2018, Walker was shot through the closed front door of his own home, while his wife, 8 months pregnant, and little boys, 6 and 3 years old, slept upstairs. The bullet shattered Walker’s leg and blood loss caused permanent partial loss of vision. Walker’s injuries are devastating and permanent. He and his family are deeply grateful for the support they have received from the community and ask only that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.