Trooper on bus station training exercise shot dead as police run into gunman

A policeman was shot dead and two civilians wounded after a gunman opened fire at a busy bus terminal. Virginia state trooper Chad Dermyer died after being shot repeatedly at the Greyhound bus station in Richmond. The father-of-two was taking part in a training exercise at the station with around a dozen other troopers when an encounter with the gunman turned violent. His colleagues shot dead the gunman. Two women were wounded but their injuries were not life-threatening.

State troopers doing their job and innocent people shot. Why? This is a senseless act.

Reva Trammell, a city councilwoman

Dozens of officers in tactical gear flooded the station after the shooting, which took place in an area close to a minor league baseball stadium and a number of restaurants. Trooper Dermyer was dressed in a fatigue-style uniform and was not wearing a protective vest. Witness Sarah Newman, 22, was 30ftaway when the shooting happened. She said: “We heard a lot of yelling inside and we saw a few people run out, then we saw a bunch of police cars come in. They brought out the trooper and the other victims … He had blood all over him and his eyes were lifeless.”

It’s unfortunate these are the days we’re living in, where folks want to harm law enforcement. We just want our officers to end their shifts and to go home to their families.

Police chief Alfred Durham

richmond shooting