(WXXI & AP) One of the two Virginia Beach police officers who were shot and killed on Friday night is a 2017 graduate of Gate Chili High School.
He is 25-year-old Cameron Girvin. The other officer is identified as 30-year-old Christopher Reece.
Both were shot during a traffic stop.
Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate said at a news conference on Saturday that officers Girvin and Reece were killed after stopping a vehicle for expired plates. Neudigate says the suspect, John McCoy III, 42, got in an argument with the officers when asked to exit his vehicle. When he eventually got out of the vehicle, Neudigate said McCoy pulled out a pistol and shot both Reece and Girvin multiple times.
"The officers, Girvin and Reece, they were dedicated, determined peace officers and public servants," Neudigate said. They had stellar reputations in our department and their work ethic was beyond reproach. We asked them to go out in this community and keep us safe from evil. And last night, evil found them. And that sacrifice is a painful reminder of the dangers our officers face."
Neudigate added that officers later found McCoy inside a shed with a gunshot wound to the head that they believe was self-inflicted.
The Gates Chili Central School district released a statement saying that they are “deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Officer Cameron Girvin,” adding that “Cameron’s commitment to service and his dedication to protecting others were evident both during his time as a student and throughout his career in law enforcement.”
The district’s statement released Saturday also said that Girvin’s father, Art Girvin, was a longtime bus driver for the district, “making this tragedy even more personal for many in our Spartan community.”
The district said that students, staff and alumni who may be struggling with the news of the deaths are encouraged to seek support.
This story includes reporting by the Associated Press.
