The death of Donovan Lynch has been ruled a homicide according to an autopsy report obtained by The New York Post.
Lynch, the cousin of producer Pharrell Williams, was fatally shot by a Virginia Beach police officer in March 2021. A state grand jury investigation into 25-year-old Donovon Lynch’s death has now been launched, according to the newspaper and a grand jury is scheduled to meet in September.
While the autopsy found that Lynch’s death was a homicide, no criminal charges have been filed in the case to date. Court documents revealed that Lynch suffered two gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wayne Lynch, the father of Donovan Lynch, filed a federal lawsuit following the death of his son in June in Norfolk’s U.S. District Court and is seeking $50 million from the city. He is requesting a jury trial. The suit also names officer Solomon Simmons as the alleged shooter, though the Virginia Beach Police Department hasn’t confirmed the officer’s identity.
An Instagram page dedicated to bringing justice for Lynch’s murder has also been set up in response to the recent autopsy report.
“We already knew that it was murder, now it’s time to ARREST, CHARGE, and CONVICT Solomon D. Simmons III. 🗣 Donovon committed no crime. He was simply walking back to his car after a night out with his best friend. Don should still be here, and we will continue to fight until everyone involved is held accountable! This is just the beginning. We have a lot of work to do! We need accountability. We need transparency. We need Change,” the latest post from @justice4donovonlynch reads.
The 25-year-old Lynch was a 2019 graduate of Virginia College at Wise and was an offensive lineman for the school’s football team during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Lynch also was a volunteer with Pharrell’s Something in the Water music festival.
