ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va –  The Rockingham County Sheriff’s deputy who was involved in last week’s fatal shooting will not face criminal charges.

That is according to Commonwealth’s Attorney Marsha Garst, who stated in a news release that Virginia State Police conducted a complete review of all the evidence, including video of the deputy’s body-worn camera and eyewitness testimony.

At around 5:15 last Wednesday afternoon, the deputy, whose name was not released, attempted to take 27-year-old Justin Scott Lantz into custody for undisclosed reasons on Rock Fence Lane.

Lantz refused and reached for a nearby pistol after the deputy instructed him not to touch it. The deputy then fired his weapon, killing Lantz.

Garst added that while she is saddened by the tragic event, she is grateful to the deputy for his attempts to resolve the matter peacefully and his courageous actions to protect the community.