Crime and Public Safety
Roanoke Police are investigating a homicide in the 900-block of Marshall Avenue SW. Officials say a man was found dead with critical gunshot wounds on the porch of the residence this morning. A suspect of spotted running inside the home and then barricaded himself inside the attic for a little over an hour. The suspect has been taken into custody without incident.
Full Press Release from Roanoke City Police — On October 28 at approximately 8:25 a.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a person with a gunshot wound in the 900 block of Marshall Avenue SW. Responding officers located an adult male victim with what appeared to be a critical gunshot wound on the porch of a residence in the area. Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to the scene and pronounced the man deceased. His identity will be shared pending proper notification of next-of-kin.
Responding officers were informed by witnesses that the male suspect of this incident ran inside the residence. Officers worked to clear every room of the home, ultimately discovering that the man had barricaded himself in the attic. Officers immediately secured the residence and held the perimeter while requesting assistance from the department’s Tactical Response Team. A Roanoke Police Crisis Negotiator began communicating with the man via phone, who eventually agreed to exit the residence. The suspect was taken into custody at approximately 9:45 a.m. without further issue and transported to the Roanoke Police Department.
(from Roanoke PD) On October 26, 2022 at approximately 9:20 a.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of an armed robbery that occurred at a business in the 2200 block of Melrose Avenue NW. Officers responded to the business, confirmed to be a bank, and spoke with witnesses who claimed a man came into the bank, displayed a firearm, and demanded employees give him money. The man left the scene on foot with an unspecified amount of U.S. Currency. Officers have not located the suspect at this time and Detectives are working to gather more details.
(from Roanoke PD) On October 26, 2022 at approximately 12:45 a.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a person with a gunshot wound in the 1600 block of Syracuse Avenue NW. Responding officers located an adult male victim inside a vehicle in the area with what appeared to be serious gunshot wounds. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Details about what led to the shooting are limited at this time. No suspects were located on scene and no arrests have been made regarding this incident.
Courtesy TSA
ROANOKE, Va.—Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented a Georgia man from boarding his flight at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport with a handgun on Monday (Oct. 24). The .22 caliber gun was loaded with eight bullets. It marked the eighth gun detected by TSA at theRoanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport so far this year. This is the highest number of guns caught at the airport in a single calendar year with two months remaining in 2022.
The TSA officer who was staffing the checkpoint X-ray monitor on Monday spotted the weapon among the man’s carry-on items as they entered the checkpoint X-ray machine. TSA alerted the police who confiscated the handgun and cited the man on a weapons charge. He also now faces a stiff federal financial civil citation for bringing a loaded gun to a security checkpoint.
Hit and Run VSP photo
The Virginia State Police are asking for any information regarding the individual shown in the attached photographs. This individual is wanted for questioning in a Bedford County Fatal Hit and Run on Route 460, at 12:30 a.m. the morning of September 21, 2022.
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – Virginia State Police is investigating a motorcycle crash, which resulted in a fatality. The crash occurred Saturday, (Oct 22) at 6:54 p.m. on Route 40, at the intersection of Route 705 in Franklin County. A 2004 Yamaha motorcycle was traveling east on Route 40 at a high rate of speed, when the motorcycle struck a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, which was making a left turn onto Route 40 from Route 705.
James Dean Frith, 22, of Union Hall drove the Yamaha. Mr. Frith was wearing his helmet and died at the scene. Coy A. Hodges, 45, of Rocky Mount., drove the Chevrolet. Mr. Hodges was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured.
MGN
Union Hall, Virginia (October 23rd, 2022) – On Saturday, October 22nd at approximately 12:30am, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a call for possible drowning in the 200 block of Winding Way Road in Union Hall, Virginia. The caller reported that an intoxicated individual had fallen off of a boat into the water of Smith Mountain Lake and they were unable to locate him. A dive team with Franklin County Public Safety arrived on scene and were able to locate a deceased male in the water. Victim was identified as Ryan Christopher Adams, 42 years old of Union Hall. Victim’s body was transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke.
The carjacked Honda per today’s Facebook post
Vinton Police Department responded last night to a Robbery on Jefferson Avenue that also involved an Armed Carjacking. The victim of the carjacking was unharmed. Suspects displayed a firearm and stole the victim’s vehicle, a 2009 Honda Accord, and fled the scene. They are described as two black males, wearing yellow and black hoodies; both had masks covering a portion of their face. No suspects have been located at this time. The vehicle was recovered this morning. (UPDATE) A Facebook post now says 3 family members sitting in a car outside the Studio 45 dance studio were attacked by two carjackers they believe were teenagers, who then pulled a gun on them.)
(Press release) Vinton, VA – On October 19, 2022, at 8:39 PM officers of the Vinton Police Department responded to a Robbery at 116 Jefferson Avenue, in regards to reports of an Armed Carjacking. Responding officers located the victim of the carjacking unharmed. A preliminary investigation indicates the suspects displayed a firearm and stole the victim’s vehicle, a 2009 Honda Accord, and fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival. The suspects are described as two black males, one wearing a yellow hoodie, one wearing a black hoodie, and both had masks covering a portion of their face. No suspects have been located at this time.
On October 20, 2022, at 8:53 AM, Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division of the Vinton Police Department located the victim’s vehicle, a 2009 Honda Accord, unoccupied in the alleyway near Raleigh Avenue in the Town of Vinton. Currently, Detectives with the Vinton Police Department are investigating the incident. No arrests have been made at this time. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Vinton Police Department at (540) 983-0617.
Photo from Roanoke FireEMS Facebook page
On the heels of a fatal house fire in a Roanoke duplex without smoke alarms, Roanoke Fire and EMS are reminding residents of the importance of smoke detectors. Becky Smith, Fire Marshal Battalion Chief for Roanoke Fire and EMS, says that fire prevention and education are crucial missions for her department. WFIR’s Emma Thomas has more:
Click here to get a free smoke alarm from Roanoke Fire and EMS
UPDATE: Missing Child Update: Timothy Truitt , Jaxon and Adrianna Truitt have all been located and taken into custody safely.
Previous: The Virginia State Police and the Virginia Missing Children Clearinghouse have issued an AMBER Alert on behalf of the Hampton Police Department, for a child abduction that occurred on October 16, 2022 at 1430 hours. The children are believed to be in extreme danger and were last seen at Walmart, 1900 Cunningham Drive, Hampton, VA. Abducted is Adriana Truitt, white female, sandy hair, blue eyes, 1 years old, 2 foot 0 inches tall, weighing 30 lbs, last seen wearing a white long sleeve onesie, gray sweatpants, and red, white, blue baseball socks.
Abducted is Jaxon Truitt, biracial male, brown hair, brown eyes, 2 years old, 3 foot 0 inches tall, weighing 25 lbs, last seen wearing a long sleeve black shirt with “Born to win” in red text, black sweatpants, and gray and blue sneakers.
The children are believed to have been abducted by Timothy Truitt, white male, brown hair, brown eyes, 6 foot 1 inches tall, weighing 175 Lbs, last seen wearing a black shirt with a yellow logo on chest, gray shorts, and white shoes Last seen driving a maroon sedan.
For further information contact the Hampton Police Department at 757-727-6111 or visit Twitter.com/VSPalerts
If you have information, contact: Hampton Police Department
Call: 757-727-6111
Missing children
Adriana Truitt
– Age now: 1
– Sex: Female
– Skin: White
– Hair: Sandy
– Eyes: Blue
– Height: 2’0″
– Weight: 30 lbs
– Description: Last seen wearing a white long sleeve onesie, gray sweatpants and red/white/blue baseball socks
Jaxon Truitt
– Age now: 2
– Sex: Male
– Skin: Biracial
– Hair: Brown
– Eyes: Brown
– Height: 3’0″
– Weight: 25 lbs
– Description: Last seen wearing a long sleeve black shirt with “Born to win” in red text, black sweatpants and gray and blue sneakers
Suspect
Timothy Truitt
– Age now: 36
– Sex: Male
– Skin: White
– Hair: Brown
– Eyes: Brown
– Height: 6’1″
– Weight: 175 lbs
– Description: Last seen wearing a black shirt with a yellow logo on chest, gray shorts and white shoes