Virginia Beach Officers Fatally Shot During Traffic Stop; Suspect Later Found Dead

Two Virginia Beach police officers were shot and killed late Friday night during a routine traffic stop, authorities confirmed on Saturday. The suspect, who opened fire on the officers, was later found dead from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The slain officers, Cameron Girvin, 25, and Christopher Reese, 30, were working the late-night shift when they pulled over a vehicle with expired license plates at 11:27 p.m. in a residential area.

According to Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate, the driver, identified as John McCoy III, 42, was immediately “argumentative” upon being stopped. After exiting his vehicle, McCoy engaged in a struggle with the officers before drawing a firearm and shooting both men.

In a chilling sequence of events, McCoy then stood over the wounded officers and shot each of them a second time before calmly walking away, Chief Neudigate revealed during a Saturday afternoon news conference.

Both officers were rushed to the hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries.

Community in Mourning

“I’m going to be quite honest, we’re all hurting,” Chief Neudigate said, his voice heavy with emotion. “We still have jobs to do, and we may appear stoic on the outside, but I can tell you, our hearts are broken on the inside.”

The deaths of Officer Girvin, who had served in the Virginia Beach Police Department since 2020, and Officer Reese, who had joined in 2022 after two years as a Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office deputy, have shaken the city.

Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer also spoke at the news conference, visibly moved.

“Today our city is heartbroken,” he said. “No words can ease the pain and loss as we mourn.”

The Aftermath

Authorities later found McCoy’s body inside a shed near the shooting scene, with a gunshot wound believed to be self-inflicted. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second individual was inside McCoy’s vehicle at the time of the incident, but police do not anticipate filing charges against them, Chief Neudigate confirmed.

The entire encounter was captured on the officers’ body-worn cameras and the dashboard camera from their patrol car. Chief Neudigate described the footage as “quite horrific”, noting that McCoy calmly walked away after the brutal attack.

A Small Community Feeling a Tremendous Loss

Virginia Beach, though a city of nearly 450,000 residents, still holds the close-knit ties of a small community, the police chief said. The deaths of Officers Girvin and Reese serve as a stark reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face every day, even during what should be routine stops.

The city now mourns the loss of two of its own, grappling with the sudden and tragic loss of officers who had dedicated their lives to service and protection.