Investigators said early on that they believed Brown was unarmed; no weapons were found on Brown or in the vehicle. Though court records show Brown had been convicted of grand larceny as a juvenile, in which he received a suspended sentence, his attorney in the grand larceny case said he had never been convicted of a gun offense.

Law enforcement sources said Cobb is a 10-year veteran who worked daily with children as a school resource officer in Richmond. He was placed on administrative leave while Chesterfield police investigated. Cobb is African-American, as was Brown.

Investigators obtained at least one cellphone video with audio, as well as video surveillance footage from the car wash, police said during the early stages of the investigation. Police said video footage showed “some kind of struggle” between Brown and the officer, with the officer outside his vehicle and Brown sitting inside the car behind the wheel.

Investigators had also said that they believed Brown arrived at the car wash in a vehicle occupied by two acquaintances who drove away after the shooting. Brown was not employed by the gas station or car wash.

The car that Cobb was driving that day belonged to his girlfriend, according to law enforcement sources.