Mother of man shot, killed by Richmond Police in 2024 files lawsuit against city and officers

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The mother of a 20-year-old man who was shot and killed by a Richmond Police officer on Easter Sunday in 2024 has filed a lawsuit against the City of Richmond and 11 police officers.

On Sunday, March 31, at about 5 a.m., officers responded to the 1900 block of Cedar Street for a reported disturbance involving an armed person. When they got to the scene, they found 20-year-old Kenneth Sharp sleeping inside a car.

According to police, after the officers got Sharp’s attention, he exited the car with a large gun in his hands. One of the officers called for Sharp to drop the weapon, but he did not finish before the other officer fired four shots at him, killing him.

In April 2024, the Richmond Police Department confirmed that Officer Todd Hall, who reportedly has 13 years of experience with the department, fired the shots at Sharp.

The night that the shooting occurred, Hall reportedly received a Valor Award for his actions in the deadly shooting.

In July 2024, Police Chief Rick Edwards said Hall would not face any charges in the killing.

Eight months after Sharp was killed, in January 2025, 8News spoke exclusively with Sharp's family, who said they felt heartbroken and blindsided by the award, and called for accountability.

“We don’t find anything heroic in the death of my nephew,” said Tracey Hardney Scott, Sharp’s aunt. “We were completely blindsided.”

In the aftermath, Sharp's mother, Latoya Hardney has filed a lawsuit on Jan. 15, 2025, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against the City of Richmond, Hall and ten other unnamed officers.

The suit seeks compensation and punitive damages, which would be determined if the suit continues to go to trial.

The criminal complaint filed by Hardney's legal team alleges that Hall did not identify himself as a police officer or employ a warning that they were about to use lethal force, that he did not use a less-lethal alternative to a gun, and escalated the situation by fatally shooting Sharp.

Hardney's legal team claimed in the document that Sharp "never posed an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officers."

Hardney's legal team claimed that Hall and other officers infringed on Sharp's rights by allegedly using excessive and unreasonable force against Sharp when he was shot several times.

In addition, Hardney's legal team claimed that Hall and other officers did not call for medical care promptly or allow medical personnel to treat Sharp.

The complaint also alleges that the city failed to adequately train the officers in using less-lethal options and in determining when to use deadly force. It also alleges that the city knew of and approved of the officers' actions.

In a response filed by the city, its attorney denies all accusations and requests that the claims be dismissed.

Hall's legal team also denied all allegations against him in another response document.