19-02-2025
Virginia Beach man shot by police to remain behind bars
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Brian Besecker, the man who was shot by Virginia Beach police in the doorway of his apartment after threatening them with a gun, will remain behind bars for more than a year.
The 33-year-old was sentenced to 10 years, with all but a year and three months suspended. , but was ultimately convicted on two counts of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer and one count of brandishing a firearm. He pleaded guilty in relation to.
Though Besecker and his attorney stipulated to most of the facts of the case, there was still remaining disagreement in court over whether the officers knocked on his door loudly enough to alert him.
The entire incident, from Besecker's verbal threat from inside the apartment to the shooting, took only 14 seconds. His attorney, citing video evidence, told the court that officers opened fire within a second of the door opening.
Besecker was holding a Sig Sauer .380 at the time, which was forfeited as part of the plea deal.
Police were responding that night to a domestic-related call. When they arrived, they could hear loud talking inside Besecker's apartment.
Besecker's attorney said he was intoxicated at the time. The judge acknowledged that he also injured his longtime girlfriend that night, which resulted in a June 17 indictment for assault and battery of a family member. The judge also noted that the girlfriend had requested a lenient sentence.
Besecker spoke several times during the proceedings, quoting from poetry and the writings of James Allen. He expressed regret about becoming too inebriated and referred to the incident as 'a series of poor choices.'
He also said that his injuries and mental health challenges have made incarceration especially hard to navigate. He said he hasn't received adequate medical care and has been subjected to gang violence.
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