An officer-involved shooting today in Roanoke has sent one person to the hospital. It happened along the 1600 block of Hershberger Road near the former Crossroads Mall. Roanoke Police Sergeant Stephen Keatts was able to make public a few details at the scene:
That with Freelance Reporter Andre Whitehead. Police say the officer was responding to a trespassing call, noticed the suspect had a firearm and at some point in the encounter, fired his service revolver. Police say the suspect fled on foot but was a captured a short distance away. As is usual practice in such cases, state police will take over the investigation from here.
NEWS RELEASE: On October 16, 2019 at around 12:45 pm, Roanoke Police were dispatched to a trespassing call at a business in the 1600 block of Hershberger Road NW. A responding officer located the subject on scene and began to speak with them. The officer observed that the subject had a firearm. During the encounter, the officer fired his service weapon at the individual. The suspect was struck by the officer’s gunfire, then fled on foot. The suspect was apprehended a short distance away and transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital by Roanoke Fire-EMS for treatment.
In accordance with department policy, the Virginia State Police were notified and will be utilized for the criminal investigation of this incident. The officer involved has been placed on administrative assignment per department policy. Sgt. Rick Garletts with the Virginia State Police will be the media’s point of contact for further inquiries on the investigation. He can be reached at (540)375-9598.
While responding to this incident, a Roanoke Police patrol car was involved in a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Gainsboro Road and Orange Avenue NW. The officer was heading eastbound on Orange Avenue NW at the time of the collision. The patrol vehicle struck another car, then entered into oncoming traffic, striking two other vehicles. Several individuals are being transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.
