A Virginia man who was allegedly involved in a shootout with US Marshals in Canton was convicted in the shooting death of a 15-year-old boy in Virginia in 2017.
Court records show that Aaron Pierre Thomas, 33, was charged and convicted after shooting the teen in the back multiple times. Reports say that Thomas’ attorney argued the shooting was in self-defense after he was originally charged with murder. The charges were later reduced to manslaughter after the grand jury deemed lack of evidence, according to local media reports.
Thomas served nearly a year and a half in prison after much of the time served was suspended.
Police say that Wednesday night, Thomas shot at US Marshals who were trying to apprehend him on Virginia charges on aggravated robbery and others. He exited the home he was in at Mahoning Manor Apartments and began firing at police, striking one U.S. Marshal. He was shot multiple times when authorities returned gunfire at him. Thomas was transported to a local hospital and remains there.
The US Marshal who was shot suffered non-life threatening injuries.