MARCH 2025. Blues Vol 41 No.3

AROUND THE

AROUND THE COUNTRYVIRGINIA BEACH, VA.Two Virginia police officers fatally shot during traffic stop in the GreenRun area of Virginia Beach.By Natalie AndersonThe Virginian-PilotVIRGINIA BEACH, VA. — OfficersCameron Girvin and ChristopherReese were working the midnighttraffic patrol shift late Fridaynight Feb. 21st., when they noticeda car with an expired inspectionsticker and attempted to pull itover.After the driver of the blueHyundai Sonata failed to stop, theofficers continued to follow thevehicle into a townhouse complexnear the intersection of LynnhavenParkway and Wendfield Drive, inthe Green Run area, according toVirginia Beach Police Chief PaulNeudigate .Both officers approached thecar after it stopped and asked thedriver to get out, Neudigate said.The man, however, refused. Hebegan to argue with them, and a“tussle” broke out, the chief said.It ended moments later whenthe man pulled a pistol from hispocket and shot both officers.“The officers fell to the ground,”Neudigate said. “While on theground, defenseless, he shot themeach a second time.”The shooting was captured byboth officers’ body-worn cameras,as well as a dashboard-mountedcamera in their police cruiser, thechief said.44 The BLUES - MARCH ‘25OFFICER CHRISTOPHER REESEIn the footage, the man, lateridentified as 42-year-old John LeeMcCoy III, is seen calmly walkingaway, Neudigate said. His bodywas found in a nearby shed witha gunshot wound to the head. Thechief said the wound is believed tohave been self-inflicted. He alsosaid there was a passenger in Mc-Coy’s car, but that person will notbe charged.Reese, 30, was taken to SentaraPrincess Anne Hospital, where hedied a short time later surroundedby family, friends, and fellowofficers, Neudigate said. Reesebecame a Virginia Beach officerin 2022, after having served threeyears as a deputy sheriff for thecity.Girvin, 25, was transported toOFFICER CAMERON GIRVINSentara Virginia Beach GeneralHospital, where he died around4:30 a.m., also surrounded byloved ones and colleagues. Girvinwas sworn in as a Virginia Beachofficer in 2020.“We’re hurting,” Neudigate saidduring a news conference Saturdaythat was attended by severallocal and state leaders. “Thedepartment is hurting. The city ishurting. And if you know VirginiaBeach, we’re a big city, but we’rereally just a small community, andI can tell you this community ishurting."Donations to help support thefamilies are being collected by theVirginia Beach Police Foundationthrough it’s website at www.virginiabeachpolicefoundation.org.

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