RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – The Richmond Police Department has an update on an officer-involved shooting that occurred in 2024. Police Chief Rick Edwards announced during an annual crime briefing on Thursday, Jan. 16, that the department had recently received a Declination of Prosecution from the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for an officer who shot and killed a suspect in October 2024. The officer, now identified as John Mitchell -- who had three years of experience on the force, according to Edwards -- was placed on administrative leave with pay while the shooting remained under investigation. On Oct. 15, 2024, Richmond Police officers were called to a home in Church Hill for a man who had been reportedly threatening people. Police said officers tried to de-escalate the situation by yelling out to the suspect who had barricaded himself in the home with his wife as a hostage. After hearing a scream from a bedroom inside, officers moved through the home towards the suspect's room. Upon the officers' arrival, 36-year-old Kyle Harris of Richmond was shot and later died at the hospital. Harris was reportedly having a mental health issue and threatened someone with a knife 40 minutes prior to the shooting. When officers arrived, a neighbor informed them Harris had cut off power inside the home. In body cam video of the incident that was later shared by police, Harris can be heard threatening his wife and officers. According to police, he was holding a hatchet at the time of the shooting. Officers also later reportedly found a knife in the bushes outside the home. According to police, the department is continuing to conduct an internal assessment of the incident.