Virginia Beach shooting: Two police officers killed during routine traffic stop
Two police officers in Virginia were shot and killed during a traffic stop late Friday night.
Officer Christopher Reese, 30, and Officer Cameron Girvin, 25, were both shot while conducting a traffic stop late Friday night in Virginia Beach. The shooting occurred after a routine traffic stop, where the suspect was stopped regarding an expired plate on his vehicle. According to the city's police chief Paul Neudigate, the driver accused of killing two police officers calmly walked away after his crime.
At a news conference held on Saturday, police chief Neudigate stated that the suspect, John McCoy III, 42, got in an argument with officers Girvin and Reece. They had stopped McCoy's car and asked him to exit his vehicle. He refused to follow orders, but eventually got out of the car. As he exited, he also pulled out a pistol and fatally shot both Reece and Girvin.
Who was the suspect of the Virginia Beach shooting?
John McCoy III was convicted of a felony back in 2009, as police reported. Having a firearm would have represented a new felony charge for him. The death of the 42-year-old suspect was subsequently confirmed by other Virginia Beach police officers that searched the area to find him. Hours later, McCoy was found dead in a shed behind the apartment complex where he had previously stopped his car.
Police chief Neudigate also stated that the suspect had a gunshot wound in the head, which they believe was self-inflicted. The medical examiner placed McCoy's time of death as close to the traffic stop and shooting of the officers Reese and Girvin.
Two police officers killed during traffic stop
Officers Christopher Reese and Cameron Girvin were young policemen. Neudigate added some details about their death, as the shooting was caught on the officers' body cameras. He stated that the officers fell to the ground, and while they were defenseless, the suspect stood over them and shot each officer a second time.
The police chief also said the department is reeling from this tragedy. In the meantime, Virginia Beach Mayor Robert Dyer asked the public and officer's families for patience as the Police Department works on the investigation and "grieve the loss of their own."