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Chaos, Seconds, and a Fatal Shot

On a chaotic night at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront in March 2021, three shootings erupted within minutes. Amid sirens, crowds fleeing, and police rushing toward gunfire, Officer Solomon Simmons encountered 25-year-old Donovon Lynch — an innocent bystander walking back to his car. Seconds later Lynch was dead. Five years later, critical questions remain about what really happened in those final moments.

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How Civilian Review Boards Work in Virginia

The Virginia Beach Independent Citizen Review Board’s inability to reach consensus in the Donovon Lynch case highlights the complexities of civilian oversight in police-involved shootings. Civilian review boards serve advisory roles without prosecutorial power, facing challenges like membership vacancies and deadlocks, which can hinder public trust and accountability in the review process.

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