POWHATAN, Va. (WRIC) — Family and friends gathered in Powhatan on Saturday to remember Franklin Short, the 71-year-old who was shot to death by a sheriff’s deputy earlier this month.
The group gathered for a “walk to remember,” but they are also demanding answers. They want to know the events that led up to him being shot to death, but police are not releasing the 9-1-1 tape or dash cam footage.
“It’s been really hard not knowing,” said Short’s daughter, Lisa Lafoon. “[I] love my daddy with all my heart.”
Short’s granddaughter, Ashley Metzger, said he was a family man.
“He would do anything for his family,” she said. “He didn’t have much, but he would give it to you if you needed it. That’s just the type of person he was. He was a really a good man.”
The incident that led to Short’s death happened on August 3 when Virginia State Police and Powhatan sheriff deputies responded to a call for a domestic situation of Urbine Road.
State Police say when they go there, Short was armed with a rifle and refused to put it down despite repeated commands. He was then shot and killed by the sheriff’s deputy.
“”I know they’re just doing their job, but even so, you could’ve shot a warning shot,” Lafoon said. “Or shot him in his hand, his foot; anything other than shooting to kill.”
Last week one of Short’s daughters told 8News last week that her father had one eye and hearing problems, and wonders if he even heard or saw police.
“I don’t know what happened but I know it shouldn’t have happened. My dad shouldn’t have died like that,” she said.
Family members say it happened in the home where Short lived with one of his daughters, Lafoon’s older sister, who was there that night with her boyfriend.
“We just believe that something bad happened in the house and daddy was fighting for his life,” Lafoon said. “And I don’t know if it was with the man who was with [his daughter], or with her, but daddy did not deserve to die like this.”
Family members also said that the rifle Short was holding wasn’t even loaded, and that he would’ve never hurt anyone.
“”He doesn’t deserve to be portrayed as a monster,” Lafoon said. “He wasn’t, he was a good man.”
The Powhatan Sheriff’s Office has requested Virginia State Police to conduct an investigation, which remains ongoing.
“We’re here, we’re not going anywhere, we just want answers,” Metzger added. “We want to know what happened.”
