Virginia Officer Stephen Rankin Found Guilty Of Manslaughter

William Chapman

It began on April 22, 2015 in a Walmart parking lot in Portsmouth, Virginia.  Police received a call of a shoplifter.  Portsmouth police officer Stephen Rankin came to the scene and saw 18-year old William Chapman walking in the parking lot.  William was wearing a backpack.  Rankin stopped Chapman on suspicion of shoplifting.  William denied that he shoplifted anything.

The situation ended with Rankin shooting William twice, once in the chest, and once in the face.  The coroner found that William was handcuffed when he was shot.  No stolen property was found on William.  An autopsy report found that the shots were not fired at close range, which contradicted Rankin’s story that William was close to him, failed to comply with his demands, and lunged at him.  A video of Rankin’s taser was examined.

An investigation was held that was completed on August 21, 2015.   A grand jury indicted Rankin.  He was charged with first-degree murder and using a firearm to commit a felony.