Did Police Shoot At Ryan Frederick? His Family Thinks SoThe hands of six Chesapeake detectives present at the botched marijuana raid on Ryan Frederick's house have tested positive for "primer residue," meaning they had traces of chemicals on their hands sometimes left behind when a person fires a gun, according to a lab report filed in court.
The lab report also said the residue can be left if a person is near weapon as it fires, or if a person handles a weapon with primer residue already on it. Police have insisted no officers fired during the Jan. 17 raid where police went looking for marijuana. Police contend Frederick alone opened fire, with one bullet killing narcotics detective Jarrod Shivers.
Frederick also had primer residue on both hands, according to the report.
Police refused to comment on the lab report Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Frederick's family revealed a bullet hole inside the home they say was caused by police fire. The hole passes through a corner by Frederick's back bedroom. Family members said, and Frederick's attorney confirmed, that police went to the home days after the shooting and plugged the hole with some kind of putty or filler. Defense investigators have pictures of the hole before and after the filler was added, according to attorney James Broccoletti. Police would not comment on that, nor answer any other questions for this story.
A second lab report shows Frederick's Bersa Firestorm .380 pistol is the gun that fired the fatal bullet, as well as a second bullet found by police. There is no indication in the court file where police found the second bullet. The state crime lab also did some testing on a .223 Remington cartridge found in Frederick's home. However, the lab did not do DNA testing on the cartridge nor is there any indication what kind of weapon fired the round, according to the paperwork. Police search warrants do not show officers located any weapon in Frederick's home capable of firing a .223 round.
Chesapeake police spokeswoman Christina Golden confirmed some officers are issued Bushmaster M4 Patrol Rifles, which shoot .223-caliber ammunition.
Frederick is charged with capital murder. Police say he shot Shivers moments after narcotics detectives used a battering ram to knock a hole in Frederick's front door. Police have testified Shivers was standing at the bottom of the home's front steps when the bullet hit him.
Frederick says he was awakened by a commotion at his front door. He says he believed it was burglars breaking in and he fired to protect himself.
Police were at Frederick's house looking for what an informant described as a complex marijuana-growing operation in the shed behind his home. Police found only enough marijuana to charge Frederick with a misdemeanor. However, prosecutors later upped the charge to a felony, saying Frederick intended to grow and distribute marijuana.
Prosecutors have until Friday to decide if they will pursue the death penalty.
