Pharrell Calls for Federal Probe Into the Police Shooting of His Cousin

Last month, Pharrell revealed in an emotional post that his cousin Donovon Wayne Lynch was killed in a police shooting at Virginia Beach. On Tuesday, Pharrell called for a federal investigation into what happened to his cousin.

“Thank you God for my 48th lap around the Sun. This one is symbolic and a first because I had to speak at my cousin’s funeral, and was choked up with emotions,” he wrote on Instagram. “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. His name is Donovon Wayne Lynch."

Near the end of March, Pharrell called for “Transparency, honesty, and justice.” Donovon Lynch, who is said to have been 25 year old, was shot and killed by police in March. In a police statement, the Virginia Beach Police Department claimed that Lynch was “brandishing a handgun at the time of the shooting,” but questions have arisen due to the apparent lack of body cam footage of the shooting. 

Lynch’s funeral was held on Monday at Wave Church, and Pharrell was among those to speak. “Virginia Beach, you need to talk… Talk about your issues, your struggles, so we can get past them,” he said. “It took our mayor a week to reach out to this family. … We can do better.” 

The city’s police department has since turned over the investigation into the fatal shooting of Lynch to the Virginia State Police.