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Man charged in killing of Va. police officer day after she was sworn in is identified as Army sergeant Man charged in killing of Va. police officer day after she was sworn in is identified as Army sergeant
(about 2 hours later)
The man charged with killing a Prince William County police officer and injuring two others during a domestic call Saturday, is an active-duty Army staff sergeant based at the Pentagon, his family and the military said Sunday. The Army staff sergeant charged with killing one Prince William County police officer and injuring two others on Saturday opened fire as they arrived at his front door to investigate a domestic altercation, the Prince William County police chief said Sunday.
A prosecutor also said Sunday he will pursue a capital murder against the suspect, who the Prince William County jail identified as Ronald Hamilton. Hamilton is facing six charges and is being held without bond. Chief Stephan M. Hudson said at an afternoon news conference that Ronald Williams Hamilton, 32, also shot and killed his wife in their Woodbridge home, before the officers arrived on the scene. Crystal Hamilton, 29, had placed the initial call to police.
Officer Ashley Guindon died Saturday and the two other officers were injured responding to a call about a possible domestic incident in the Woodbridge-Lake Ridge area south of the Prince William County government administration center. “A subject inside the home opened fire striking three officers who sustained critical wounds,” Hudson said. “Additional officers arrived at scene and secured subject.”
“When they got to the door, the suspect started shooting,” Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Paul Ebert said. Hudson said the two injured officers, Jesse Hempen and David McKeown, remain hospitalized and are expected to recover.
All three officers were flown by helicopter to Inova Fairfax Hospital. Police did not release details about the condition or the names of the two injured officers, but Ebert said both were in “okay” condition. Police planned to give an update about the case at 12:30 p.m. Prince William County prosecutor Paul Ebert said at the news conference that he is considering pursuing the death penalty against Hamilton, who is currently facing six charges including murder of a police officer and first-murder.
Ebert said the wife of the suspect, whom police have not identified, was found dead inside the home. The suspect was taken into custody shortly after the shooting erupted around 5:30 p.m. in the 13000 block of Lashmere Court. Hudson said Officer Ashley Guindon succumbed to her injuries Saturday evening, while undergoing treatment at Fairfax Inova Hospital. Guindon was on her first street patrol, after being sworn in as an officer Friday.
The alleged gunman’s father, Ronald Whaley Hamilton, a retired major with the Charleston, S.C. Police Department, said in a brief interview with The Post that he and his family learned about the shooting Saturday night and are shocked. The shooting happened around 5:40 p.m. in the 13000 block of Lashmere Court in Woodbridge, almost as soon as officers arrived, Hudson said. Police said the couple’s 11-year-old son was in the home at the time of the incident and fled the home at some point during the encounter. He was not injured and has been placed in the care of relatives.
He said he does not know any details about the shooting, but said his son, who works in the Army, had a “very good upbringing.” The elder Hamilton said his son joined the Army at age 18 and is based at the Pentagon working in the field of information technology. Police said Hamilton and his wife were involved in a day-long verbal altercation that escalated physically.
Hamilton’s family and the Army said he was an active-duty staff sergeant based at the Pentagon and worked in information technology. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to arraigned Monday.
All three officers were flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital after the shooting.
The alleged gunman’s father, Ronald Williams Hamilton, a retired major with the Charleston, S.C. Police Department, said in a brief interview with The Post that he and his family learned about the shooting Saturday night and are shocked.
He said he does not know any details about the shooting, but said his son had a “very good upbringing.” The elder Hamilton said his son joined the Army at age 18.
“We are grieving the same as all the people in Prince William County, as well as the law enforcement community across the United States,” Hamilton said. “Ronald has always been a calm person and a very friendly person. He had a bright future with the Army and military. We express our thoughts and condolences to everyone who is affected.”“We are grieving the same as all the people in Prince William County, as well as the law enforcement community across the United States,” Hamilton said. “Ronald has always been a calm person and a very friendly person. He had a bright future with the Army and military. We express our thoughts and condolences to everyone who is affected.”
Guindon was identified in reference material as a graduate of ­Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics. She served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and had relatives in law enforcement.Guindon was identified in reference material as a graduate of ­Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics. She served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and had relatives in law enforcement.
“This is the third call for shooting I’ve had since I’ve been in the office,” Ebert said. “It always takes a toll on the department. It’s a tragedy.”“This is the third call for shooting I’ve had since I’ve been in the office,” Ebert said. “It always takes a toll on the department. It’s a tragedy.”
The Prince William County jail said Hamilton will be arraigned Monday morning.
Guindon worked for a time at a funeral home because she was thinking about becoming a medical examiner, a former co-worker said. Danielle Everly, who is a funeral director at Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria, said she and Guindon overlapped for about three months when Everly was a funeral director apprentice and Guindon was an assistant at the Everly Funeral Home in Fairfax City.Guindon worked for a time at a funeral home because she was thinking about becoming a medical examiner, a former co-worker said. Danielle Everly, who is a funeral director at Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria, said she and Guindon overlapped for about three months when Everly was a funeral director apprentice and Guindon was an assistant at the Everly Funeral Home in Fairfax City.
“She was a very kind and compassionate person,” Everly said Sunday morning. “Always smiling. Very pleasant to be around.”“She was a very kind and compassionate person,” Everly said Sunday morning. “Always smiling. Very pleasant to be around.”
As part of her duties, Guindon would assist in greeting and helping mourners, and she would sometimes accompany a funeral director to the medical examiner’s office. But she was not licensed or experienced enough to assist in preparing bodies for burial.As part of her duties, Guindon would assist in greeting and helping mourners, and she would sometimes accompany a funeral director to the medical examiner’s office. But she was not licensed or experienced enough to assist in preparing bodies for burial.
Online information indicated that Guindon graduated from Merrimack High School in New Hampshire in 2005 and had held a license to fly historical aircraft. A person familiar with her Marine Corps service said she held the rank of corporal and was assigned to a unit at Bolling Air Force Base involved with sending home the remains of fallen Marines.Online information indicated that Guindon graduated from Merrimack High School in New Hampshire in 2005 and had held a license to fly historical aircraft. A person familiar with her Marine Corps service said she held the rank of corporal and was assigned to a unit at Bolling Air Force Base involved with sending home the remains of fallen Marines.
The slain officer had been assigned to patrol duty in the eastern part of the suburban Virginia county. A police tweet indicated that she had been sworn in only Friday. The slain officer had been assigned to patrol duty in the eastern part of the suburban Virginia county.
The nature of the domestic disagreement that brought the officers to the site was not made clear. Zacarius Harris, 18, said he saw Hamilton’s 11-year-old son running away from the house, wearing a T-shirt and basketball shorts. He was looking back at the houses as he ran down the street. The boy ended up at a neighbor’s.
Zacarius Harris, 18, said he saw Hamilton’s 11-year-old son running away from the house, wearing a T-shirt and basketball shorts. He was looking back at the houses as he ran down the street. The boy ended up at a neighbor’s, who called Leon asking what had happened.
“He ran so fast I can’t even imagine how scared he must have been,” Harris said.“He ran so fast I can’t even imagine how scared he must have been,” Harris said.
“It broke my heart,” he said.“It broke my heart,” he said.
A woman who lives on Lashmere Court said she was visiting a neighbor and heard sounds, but did not think gunfire could have broken out on her quiet and close-knit street.A woman who lives on Lashmere Court said she was visiting a neighbor and heard sounds, but did not think gunfire could have broken out on her quiet and close-knit street.
“We never thought it could be shots,” Maritza Gutierrez said.“We never thought it could be shots,” Maritza Gutierrez said.
She said she heard “boom, boom, boom. Something like that.” It was, she said, “very quick.”She said she heard “boom, boom, boom. Something like that.” It was, she said, “very quick.”
Then emergency personnel arrived, and she looked outside to determine what had happened.Then emergency personnel arrived, and she looked outside to determine what had happened.
She said she saw someone, apparently one of the wounded officers, lying prone on a lawn. Emergency personnel were administering aid.She said she saw someone, apparently one of the wounded officers, lying prone on a lawn. Emergency personnel were administering aid.
Finally, Gutierrez said, the patient was taken to an ambulance.Finally, Gutierrez said, the patient was taken to an ambulance.
Reporters Lynh Bui, Faiz Siddiqui, Martin Weil and Clarence Williams and researcher Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report.Reporters Lynh Bui, Faiz Siddiqui, Martin Weil and Clarence Williams and researcher Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report.