News

Actions

Virginia officer convicted of shooting black teen

Posted

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — A jury convicted a white former police officer of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of an unarmed black teen accused of shoplifting at a Wal-Mart.

The jury did not convict on the first-degree murder charge prosecutors sought in the case of Portsmouth Officer Stephen Rankin, who was fired as he awaited trial. But criminal charges are rare in police-involved shootings, and convictions are even more uncommon.

Rankin shot 18-year-old William Chapman in the face and chest outside a Wal-Mart last year after a security guard accused the teen of shoplifting. No video recorded the killing, and testimony conflicted on the details.

 

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Saturday

11/08/2025

Clear

-° / 54°

3%

Sunday

11/09/2025

Clear

84° / 55°

1%

Monday

11/10/2025

Partly Cloudy

83° / 56°

1%

Tuesday

11/11/2025

Mostly Cloudy

81° / 60°

0%

Wednesday

11/12/2025

Partly Cloudy

78° / 57°

14%

Thursday

11/13/2025

Rain

67° / 51°

71%

Friday

11/14/2025

Showers

58° / 47°

41%

Saturday

11/15/2025

Partly Cloudy

60° / 46°

22%