On a late Sunday evening in Norfolk, Virginia, on May 21, 2006, a sequence of chaotic events led to the tragic death of 25-year-old Seneca Bailey Darden, a Black / African American male police officer. Darden, a four-year veteran of the Norfolk Police Department, was working a plainclothes burglary detail in another part of the city when a call for backup came in regarding a shooting in the Young Terrace housing development.
Responding to the urgent request, Darden arrived at a tumultuous scene on Nicholson Street where a large and agitated crowd had gathered.
Earlier that evening, officers had responded to a report of a shooting and found a wounded man. While investigating, they were informed of a second potential victim inside a home, escalating the tension in the crowded courtyard. Darden, dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, joined two uniformed officers in taking a man into custody at gunpoint. It was in this volatile environment that another officer, Gordon Barry, arrived. Seeing a man in plainclothes with a handgun, and not recognizing him as a fellow officer amidst the confusion, Barry ordered Darden to drop his weapon.
The situation unraveled in a matter of moments. When Darden did not immediately comply, Officer Barry fired his weapon, striking Darden multiple times. The grave mistake was realized too late. Darden was rushed to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The man who was the subject of the original shooting call was apprehended shortly thereafter.
In the aftermath, the Virginia State Police conducted an investigation into the friendly fire incident. The officer who shot Darden, Gordon Barry, was placed on administrative leave. Ultimately, two separate investigations, including one by the Norfolk commonwealth's attorney, cleared Barry of any criminal wrongdoing, and a police Firearms Review Board determined he had acted in accordance with his training. The incident was officially deemed a tragic accident born out of mistaken identity in a high-stress and chaotic situation. No arrests were made in relation to Officer Darden's death.
