Pharrell Williams Demands Investigation into Police Involved Shooting of His Cousin

Recording artist Pharrell Williams attends the 8th Annual Governors Awards hosted by the A
VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

Grammy-winner, Despicable Me music producer, and actor Pharrell Williams is calling for an official investigation into the police-involved shooting of his cousin, who died in Virginia Beach last month.

The “Happy” singer posted a message about his cousin to Instagram on Monday and called for an investigation into the shooting. “I had to speak at my cousin’s funeral, and was choked up with emotions,” Pharrell Williams wrote. “Too many unanswered City and State questions. Respectfully, I am calling for a Federal investigation. I also humbly ask that you all keep the family in prayer.”

Donovon W. Lynch was shot by a police officer on March 26 when officers arrived at a street party in response to a call about shots fired. Officers and witnesses said Lynch came on the scene with a gun in his hand, prompting an officer to fire at him.

That same night, eight people were shot, and one other was killed in shootings around the area where Lynch was shot after the confrontation with the police.

The police arrested three suspects, including Ahmon Jahree Adams, 22, Nyquez Tyyon Baker, 18, and Devon Maurice Dorsey Jr., 20. The other fatality that night was 29-year-old Bad Girls Club star Deshayla Harris. Harris is known for her appearance on Season 17 of Oxygen Network’s Bad Girls Club, which was dubbed “East Meets West.”

It does not appear that the Virginia Beach Police Department has any suspects in the Harris shooting.

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