Crime and Public Safety
Previous: Hotel Roanoke was reportedly locked down for a time this morning. We have not received confirmation from Roanoke Police about what led to that lockdown and heavy police presence at the hotel. We will provide more information when it becomes available.
(from Roanoke PD) 
On November 21 at approximately 10:50 p.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a report of shots fired in the 2200 block of Orange Avenue NW. Responding officers located an unresponsive adult male lying in the roadway with what appeared to be critical gunshot wounds. Roanoke Fire-EMS personnel pronounced the man deceased on scene.
Officers and detectives located evidence on scene that identified the suspect as Jacob K. Foskey, 44 of Roanoke. Foskey and the victim were known to one another, and it is believed that this shooting stemmed from an altercation between the victim, another individual, and Foskey.
Officers immediately began searching for Foskey, ultimately locating his vehicle and performing a traffic stop. Foskey was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Roanoke Police Department to speak with detectives. Foskey was charged with Second Degree Murder regarding this offense.
(from Roanoke PD) On November 20 at approximately 8:20 p.m., a Roanoke Police Officer was working at the intersection of 30th Street and Salem Turnpike NW when they heard several gunshots nearby. The officer responded to the 700 block of 29th Street NW where they located an adult male with what appeared to be a serious gunshot wound outside of a residence in the area. The officer and additional responding units immediately begin rendering aid to the victim until Roanoke Fire-EMS arrived and transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
While on scene, officers located another victim, an adult female with what appeared to be non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, inside a residence in the immediate area. Roanoke Fire-EMS also transported the woman to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Preliminary investigation indicates that a physical altercation between the male victim and another individual led to the shooting. It appears the suspect and victim are known to one another and this is an isolated incident.
(from Roanoke PD) On November 19 at approximately 11:05 p.m., Roanoke Police were on routine patrol in the area near 18th Street and Grayson Avenue NW when they heard a series of gunshots nearby. As officers began to respond, they were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a person with a gunshot wound in the 1300 block of Lafayette Blvd NW. Responding officers located an adult male with what appeared to be a non-life-threatening gunshot wound on the front porch of a residence in the area. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the shooting took place in the backyard of the residence. Officers located property damage consistent with a shooting to the residence and a vehicle in the backyard. No suspects have been located and no arrests have been made regarding this investigation.
In recent weeks, wildfires have burned throughout the commonwealth and beyond, and one local forester says we’re not out of the woods yet. WFIR’s Alex Torres has more:
Reports of a loud dispute outside the Circuit courthouse on Church Ave. where a suspect was taken into custody in downtown Roanoke. An eyewitness tells us sounds that could be mistaken for gunfire were heard. It’s unclear what those sounds were. A suspect reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis caused the street to be blocked for an unknown duration of time.
(from VSP) Virginia State Police is investigating a single-vehicle crash, which resulted in a fatality. The crash occurred Monday, (Nov 6) at 4:01 p.m. on Route 220, two tenths of a mile north of Route 762 in Henry County. A 2003 International tractor trailer was traveling south on Route 220, when the vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway, travelled through a yard and struck several trees. The tractor trailer caught fire and the fire spread through the trees to an abandoned mobile home. The driver of the International was identified as Norris Jay Bowman, 56, of Ferrum. Mr. Bowman died at the scene. It has not been determined if Mr. Bowman was wearing his
seatbelt.
(from Roanoke PD) On November 1, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a person with a gunshot wound at the intersection of 12th Street and Staunton Avenue NW. Responding officers located an adult male inside a vehicle with what appeared to be a critical gunshot wound. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. A short time later, officers were notified that the man had succumbed to his injuries.
Preliminary information indicated this injury could have been self-inflicted or accidental in nature; however, officers continued to conduct a thorough investigation. Due to the evidence gathered on scene, it was ultimately determined that this incident was a homicide. Further details about what led to the shooting are limited at this time. No suspects have been located and no arrests have been made regarding this investigation.
Photo: Ian Price/WFIR
Roanoke’s newest police chief is now on the job. Scott Booth was sworn in today, promising he can reduce violent crime here just as he did as chief if Danville. City leaders say one of the main reasons they chose Booth to lead the force was his record in Danville, where crime numbers decreased significantly in his five years as chief. Booth says a key component is more effective community policing. It’s a a practice previous Roanoke chiefs have talked about and employed, but Booth says it needs to be done better. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones: