Editor’s Note: WAVY reported that an officer chased Tori Brownson this past Saturday night, when in fact it was a civilian who followed Brownson to the area where he ultimately drowned.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Following a search for a suspect, the individual went into the water and didn’t come back out last Saturday. Police recovered a body from the water the following morning, and said they believe it could be the same person.
This occurred around the area of Behl Court, near Jonathans Cove Drive.
Police identified the body Tuesday as that of Tori Brownson, 34, of Norfolk. And his mother is questioning the response of Virginia Beach police in the incident.
Virginia Beach Police’s Public Information Officer Jude Brenya said Fire Rescue and EMS were searching using boats on the Elizabeth River. That was in addition to drones and a helicopter they had in the air earlier.
“Around 5:20 p.m. (Saturday), our dispatchers received a call for service for a suspect that was an individual that was a suspect in a larceny in one of our local stores, and also that individual was suspected of exposing themselves to individuals in the area,” Brenya told 10 On Your Side. “That led one of our responding officers to locate that individual in this area, and the last thing they saw of that possible suspect was going into the water off of one of the residential docks back here — into the water and never came back out.”
The search ended late Saturday night before picking up again Sunday, when the body was found. Detectives worked to identify the body and notify next of kin. The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause of death.
Tori Brownson’s mother, Joanne, said she thinks there are too many holes surrounding her son’s death.
“I said, ‘Well, if the police were called, why didn’t they stop him?’ The detective told me that the police said that the water was too cold,” she said. “But, he was drowning. That’s their job to protect us. You don’t get to pick and choose what or how you’re going to protect the person. Why didn’t they taser him? That would’ve stopped him, gave him the opportunity to grab him and to take him where he needed to go.”
She told 10 On Your Side she found out about her son’s death Monday night. She said police called her friend first.
“Basically half of Monday was gone, ready to go on Tuesday,” she said. “They called me through an individual to tell me that my son was dead.”
She said her son was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia back in 2003 and she had tried multiple times to get him help.
“They told us keep taking the warrants out and they will — the judge was going to eventually say that’s gonna send him to Eastern State, so that’s why we kept doing that.”
She believes her son’s death is a result of the system failing him.
“I just don’t understand, how could the system not do more to help,” she said.
10 On Your Side reached out to Virginia Beach Police for comment.
They sent a statement saying in part, “There are many factors to consider before a water rescue can be attempted, such as the time of day, water conditions, current, visibility, temperature, as well as the officer’s ability to swim. The single officer on scene requested appropriate resources to respond to assist with the water rescue. We offer our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the Brownson family during this difficult time.”
