The officer who fatally shot a 17-year-old Purcellville teen has been cleared of any wrongdoing, the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office announced Thursday.
Officers were called to a home on Frazer Drive on May 24 after friends of Christian Sierra reported that the teen had a knife and was threatening suicide.
When officers arrived, they were told that Sierra was running through the neighborhood and may still be in possession of a knife. According to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, one of the responding officers saw the teen holding a seven-inch knife and struggling with another person.
The officer, identified as T. Hood, ordered Sierra to drop the weapon, but the teen did not follow his commands and started walking towards Hood. Hood moved to the rear of his patrol car, but Sierra continued to approach and raised his knife. Once Sierra got within five to 10 feet of the officer, Hood fired his weapon. He fired three additional shots after Sierra continued to approach.
Sierra was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Sierra's parents said they're "devastated" and "not surprised" by the commonwealth's attorney's findings.
