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| Police identify Illinois man as shooter in killing of Virginia state trooper | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| RICHMOND — Police on Friday identified the gunman who fatally shot a Virginia State Police trooper on Thursday as 34 year-old James Brown III of Aurora, Illinois. | RICHMOND — Police on Friday identified the gunman who fatally shot a Virginia State Police trooper on Thursday as 34 year-old James Brown III of Aurora, Illinois. |
| Brown opened fire on trooper Chad P. Dermyer, 37, during a training exercise for a criminal interdiction squad inside a Greyhound Bus Station near downtown Richmond, according to authorities. Two civilians were wounded in the shooting. | Brown opened fire on trooper Chad P. Dermyer, 37, during a training exercise for a criminal interdiction squad inside a Greyhound Bus Station near downtown Richmond, according to authorities. Two civilians were wounded in the shooting. |
| [Virginia trooper killed in shooting at Greyhound bus station in Richmond.] | [Virginia trooper killed in shooting at Greyhound bus station in Richmond.] |
| Virginia State Police have not indicated a motive in the shooting that occurred about 2:45 p.m.. Two troopers shot and killed the gunman. A gun was recovered at the scene, police said. | Virginia State Police have not indicated a motive in the shooting that occurred about 2:45 p.m.. Two troopers shot and killed the gunman. A gun was recovered at the scene, police said. |
| Col. W. Steven Flaherty, the Virginia State Police superintendent, said Dermyer and other troopers were at the bus station to train for what is called a counterterrorism and criminal interdiction unit. The unit is assigned to public transit areas and highways to identify and question people deemed suspicious and to hunt for drugs and guns. | Col. W. Steven Flaherty, the Virginia State Police superintendent, said Dermyer and other troopers were at the bus station to train for what is called a counterterrorism and criminal interdiction unit. The unit is assigned to public transit areas and highways to identify and question people deemed suspicious and to hunt for drugs and guns. |
| Dermyer, wearing a dark blue uniform that resembles fatigues, had started to question the man when the assailant pulled out a gun and shot the trooper, police said. Flaherty said the conversation lasted about 30 seconds. | Dermyer, wearing a dark blue uniform that resembles fatigues, had started to question the man when the assailant pulled out a gun and shot the trooper, police said. Flaherty said the conversation lasted about 30 seconds. |
| Dermyer is the 62nd Virginia trooper killed in the line of duty in the department’s 84-year history. | Dermyer is the 62nd Virginia trooper killed in the line of duty in the department’s 84-year history. |
| Dermyer, 37, graduated from the academy in 2014 after serving as an officer in Jackson, Mich., and in Newport News, Va., state police said. He grew up in Michigan and served in the Marine Corps and has a wife, Michelle, and two children. | Dermyer, 37, graduated from the academy in 2014 after serving as an officer in Jackson, Mich., and in Newport News, Va., state police said. He grew up in Michigan and served in the Marine Corps and has a wife, Michelle, and two children. |
| Dermyer previously worked with the Newport News Police Department from 2003 to 2007 in uniformed patrol, according to agency spokesman Officer Brandon Maynard. | Dermyer previously worked with the Newport News Police Department from 2003 to 2007 in uniformed patrol, according to agency spokesman Officer Brandon Maynard. |
| “He was an outstanding officer,” Maynard said. “He had a great reputation and was a very hard worker.” | “He was an outstanding officer,” Maynard said. “He had a great reputation and was a very hard worker.” |
| Maynard said Dermyer worked in the “high-impact patrol unit,” a group of police officers that would address focused problems in the community as they arose. | Maynard said Dermyer worked in the “high-impact patrol unit,” a group of police officers that would address focused problems in the community as they arose. |
| The Newport News police posted photos of Dermyer on its Facebook page, showing the officer smiling with members of the community or working with his partner. | The Newport News police posted photos of Dermyer on its Facebook page, showing the officer smiling with members of the community or working with his partner. |
| He and his partner Cyndi Grace, who no longer is with the department, were so well-known as a duo, colleagues referred to them as “Gracemyer,” Maynard said. | He and his partner Cyndi Grace, who no longer is with the department, were so well-known as a duo, colleagues referred to them as “Gracemyer,” Maynard said. |
| “He will very much be missed,” Maynard said. | “He will very much be missed,” Maynard said. |
| Newport News police Assistant Chief Stacy Kelly was Dermyer’s supervisor when both worked on the high-impact patrol team together. Dermyer was tapped from patrol to work for the specialty unit because of his work ethic, Kelly said. | Newport News police Assistant Chief Stacy Kelly was Dermyer’s supervisor when both worked on the high-impact patrol team together. Dermyer was tapped from patrol to work for the specialty unit because of his work ethic, Kelly said. |
| Kelly remembered Dermyer as an officer who had a reputation for being a “high-producing officer” who was also fair. The work was a mix of conducting surveillance in cars, bike patrol, and community engagement. | Kelly remembered Dermyer as an officer who had a reputation for being a “high-producing officer” who was also fair. The work was a mix of conducting surveillance in cars, bike patrol, and community engagement. |
| “He was so approachable,” Kelly said. “He was one of the guys that would go out there and talk to people and put them at ease and didn’t have any problems interacting with the community.” | “He was so approachable,” Kelly said. “He was one of the guys that would go out there and talk to people and put them at ease and didn’t have any problems interacting with the community.” |
| He was loyal to his colleagues, spending time with officers outside of work at cookouts and holidays, Kelly said. The camaraderie was so strong that he still kept in touch with many of his former Newport News colleagues. | He was loyal to his colleagues, spending time with officers outside of work at cookouts and holidays, Kelly said. The camaraderie was so strong that he still kept in touch with many of his former Newport News colleagues. |
| And while Dermyer was known to be a hard worker, he was even more devoted to his family, said Kelly. The officer spent a lot of time talking about his wife and young son and daughter. | And while Dermyer was known to be a hard worker, he was even more devoted to his family, said Kelly. The officer spent a lot of time talking about his wife and young son and daughter. |
| “He was 100 percent just a family guy, which makes this so much more tragic,” Kelly said. “He was just trying to provide for his family and do everything he could for them.” | “He was 100 percent just a family guy, which makes this so much more tragic,” Kelly said. “He was just trying to provide for his family and do everything he could for them.” |
| Magda Jean-Louis and Julie Tate contributed to this report | Magda Jean-Louis and Julie Tate contributed to this report |