Crime and Public Safety
The United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Roanoke-based Thomas Cullen, held a news conference this afternoon with federal, state and local officials, to announce a major gang arrest in Danville. 18 alleged gang members and associates were arrested this morning following a multi-agency investigation. Cullen said it was just a “first step” in ridding the Danville area of gangs. WDBJ-7 was there when Cullen talked about the charges – including racketeering.
UPDATE from Roanoke County Police: After an extensive investigation the Roanoke County Police Department has identified the victims as: Miranda B. Trump, 18, Roanoke; Brandon D. Dekle, 20, Bent Mountain; and Cole P. Kennedy, 21, Bent Mountain.
PREVIOUS: State and local law enforcement agencies are helping Roanoke County police investigate the three shooting deaths discovered overnight in the Bent Mountain area. K-9 units have been assisting as police try to uncover the circumstances leading up to the fatal gunshots. Police again say the deaths do not appear to be random and there is no apparent danger to the public. Officials say the process of notifying the next of kin is not yet complete, so no names are being released yet.
PREVIOUS: New information on the three people found shot to death this morning at a Bent Mountain home — two men and one woman. Roanoke County Police say the investigation started Monday when a father could not contact his daughter, then found her car crashed down an embankment along Honeysuckle Road, but with no sign of the daughter. Police say that led them to a home not far away overnight, and that is where they found the three bodies. Police say they have tentatively identified the woman but are not yet releasing her name. At last word, work continues to identify the two men.
From Roanoke County Police: On Monday afternoon, 6/11/2018, the father of the female victim was concerned because he had not been able to contact his daughter and began searching for her. He located her vehicle on Honeysuckle Road in the Bent Mountain area of Roanoke County. The vehicle had been crashed and was down an embankment with no one around it. The father contacted the Police Department at that time to report the female as missing.
Hours later, the investigation led police to the house in the 9200 block of Bent Mountain Road. When no one responded when police officers knocked at the door, officers entered the residence on a well-being check. When they did, the officers found the bodies of two males and the female. All three had been shot.
At this time, only the female has been positively identified, and the family has been notified. Police are still working to make positive identifications on the two males. Police will release the names of the victims when all three are positively identified and their families are notified.
Personnel from Virginia State Police and FBI are assisting in the investigation. Personnel from the Bent Mountain Volunteer Fire Department have been very helpful in providing resources to Police.
County police are asking for anyone who has information that may be helpful to contact Roanoke County Police at 540-562-3265.
EARLIER: A Roanoke County Police spokesperson says a triple-homicide is being investigated at a home in the 9200 block of Bent Mountain Road. Authorities say two men and a woman were found dead with gunshot wounds at the home near Mount Union Church of the Brethren on U.S. 221. Police say there is no known threat to the public at this time.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Seven people protesting a jail sentence for a black man using an improvised flamethrower during violent white nationalist rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year have been arrested.
On Friday, a judge ordered a 20-day jail sentence for Corey Long, who said he used the makeshift flamethrower to protect himself.
The Daily Progress reports that a few dozen people protested the sentence late Friday night in downtown Charlottesville, chanting “Corey Long did nothing wrong.” Police arrested seven protesters and charged them with “pedestrian stepping into street with poor visibility,” a misdemeanor.
One of those charged was Star Peterson, who is in a wheelchair after suffering injuries when she was run over in the car attack that killed Heather Heyer during the Aug. 12 rally and counter protests.
UPDATE from Roanoke County Fire & EMS: Jacob Daniel Seymour was taken into custody this morning and charged with “burning or destroying any building or structure.” Seymour is 28 years of age and his address was listed as transient.
PREVIOUS: (Roanoke County, VA—June 7, 2018) Roanoke County Fire and Rescue responded at about 7:20 p.m., on Thursday, June 7, 2018, to the 6700 block of Split Oak Road in the Back Creek area of Roanoke County for the report of a structure fire. Initial calls were for a large plume of black smoke in the area. First arriving crews did find a structure that was fully involved in fire. This was a vacant house that had not been lived in for over 15 years. The house sits at the end of a long, gravel road at the top of a hill in a rural area of Roanoke County where there are no fire hydrants. This presented crews some challenges with access and water supply. The house is a total loss. There were no injuries. Crews from Back Creek, Cave Spring, Bent Mountain, and Mount Pleasant responded to the fire. The fire marshal’s office is on scene to investigate a cause.
UPDATE: Roanoke Police have obtained warrants in connection with the Homicide of Michael D. Jackson that occurred on 6/8. The following two individuals are wanted for Second Degree Murder – Shannon Lewis Walker age 29 of Roanoke and Derrell Jamar Jones age 28 of Roanoke. We do believe these two men are armed. Anyone with information on the location of these individuals is asked to call 911 immediately. Callers can remain anonymous. Anonymous text messages can be sent to 274637. Please begin your text with the keyword “RoanokePD” to ensure that it’s properly sent. Give them case number 18-062301.
PREVIOUS: There was a fatal shooting overnight in Northwest Roanoke. Police say shortly after a midnight an officer located a black man with a gunshot wound in the 1600 block of Burrell Street. Authorities say it appears the shooting was the result of a verbal altercation at the nearby LT Store. No arrest has been made at this time. The victim has been identified as 42-year-old Michael D. Jackson of Roanoke.
From Roanoke City Police: On June 8, 2018 around midnight a Roanoke Police Officer while patrolling in the 300 block Orange Avenue NW area heard a gunshot in the vicinity. As the officer was responding, it was reported that there was a subject in the 1600 Block Burrell Avenue that had been shot.
Located in the parking lot of the LT Store was an adult black male with a gunshot wound. Roanoke Fire and EMS responded and transported the male to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 12:40 am.
At this point in the investigation, it appears that the victim and two black males began a verbal altercation inside the store and the confrontation continued to the parking lot. Detectives and Forensics Investigators are collecting evidence and conducting interviews. It is unknown if there is a relationship between the victim and the two black males. No arrest have been made at this time. Identification of the victim will be made after notifications have been made.
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Roanoke County fire officials credit working smoke detectors for avoiding a potential tragedy. Flames heavily damaged a southwest county home on Shorthorn Drive last night – the dollar loss is put at $160,000. Four people are displaced, and one of them was home when a smoke detector alerted him to the fire. The cause has not yet been determined.
From Roanoke County Fire and Rescue: Fire investigators have determined the fire on Shorthorn Drive started in the basement but are not able to determine exactly what caused the fire. Damages are estimated at $160,000. We are now learning that a family of four lived in the home and are displaced. This is a perfect example of how a working smoke detector can be a life-saver. This home had working smoke alarms and they alerted the adult man who was at home at the time of the fire.
Previous: Roanoke County Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched to the 3100 block of Shorthorn Drive at about 7 p.m. for a reported structure fire. When initial crews arrived they reported smoke and flames coming from the two-story house. An adult male was home when working smoke detectors alerted him to the fire. He was able to exit the home and call 911. Career and volunteer crews from the Cave Spring, Back Creek and Clearbrook stations had the flames under control in about 40 minutes. There is heavy fire, smoke and water damage to the house. The man who lived in the home is displaced and staying with family.Two cats were initially reported as missing, but were later found hiding in the home and appear to be okay. No injuries were reported. Fire investigators are now on scene and have begun their work to determine what caused this fire.
NEW YORK (AP) — A 2-year-old Long Island boy and the father suspected of abducting him are believed to be dead in Virginia, police said Wednesday, a tragic development in a case where state police declined to issue an Amber Alert. Suffolk County police said they were awaiting positive identification to confirm that the bodies found in a vehicle in Rockbridge County are Jovani Ligurgo and his father, John. The vehicle has the same license plate as Ligurgo’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, police said. The Rockbridge County Sheriff’s office said investigators were still at the scene and would provide details later. Suffolk police were scheduled to give an update on the case Wednesday afternoon.
Jovani’s mother alerted police Tuesday after 43-year-old John Ligurgo failed to drop the boy off at her home between 3:30 and 4 p.m., as they had arranged. Suffolk police asked New York State Police to issue an Amber Alert, but state police said they did not provide enough information to meet the criteria for one. Amber Alerts are issued only when an abducted child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death, state police said. Suffolk police said Ligurgo may have been armed with a hunting rifle, but that they had no indication that he would harm his son. Cameras later recorded Ligurgo’s Jeep crossing the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey.
Jovani’s mother had dropped off the boy at Ligurgo’s condominium about 7 a.m. Tuesday to spend the day with his father. That afternoon, about a half-hour before she called police, a fire broke out in the bedroom of Ligurgo’s condo. Police said no one was there at the time.
(Update 6/5 3pm) One of the suspects sought in the Overland Drive murder and robbery in Roanoke County on May 19. – Shamby Walker – was taken into custody today by the U.S. Marshals Service in Roanoke City without incident. She was turned over to Roanoke County Police. Andrew Jeffers is still at large.
(previously) Roanoke County police are now seeking a second person of interest in the May 19 murder on Overland Drive, when a deceased female was dropped off at the Cave Spring Lewis Gale E-R Center. Andrew Jeffers is described as 6’4″, 285 pounds, with blue eyes and shaved blond hair. He’s wanted on several charges related to second degree robbery and burglary. Please contact Roanoke County police with any information.
UPDATE — FBI news release: Seven-month-old Emma Grace Kennedy has been found safe, and her father, Carl Ray Kennedy, has been arrested. Danville Police, FBI, Randloph County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Secret Service arrested Kennedy in Randleman, N.C. He is in custody in North Carolina. Emma Grace Kennedy appears to be in good health and is being evaluated at a local hospital. The mother of the child has been notified. An Amber Alert was issued for Emma Grace Kennedy, but it has since been canceled.
PREVIOUS: The Virginia State Police and the Virginia Missing Children Clearinghouse has issued an AMBER Alert on behalf of the City of Danville, VA for a child abduction that occurred on June 3, 2018. The child is believed to be in extreme danger and was last seen at the Kwik stop on Riverside Drive, Danville, VA on June 3, 2018 at 7:55 pm.
Abducted is Emma Grace Kennedy, White, Female, Blond hair, Blue eyes, 7 Months Old, 2 foot 2 inches tall, weighing 18 lbs, Last seen wearing a light blue onesie.
The child is believed to have been abducted by Carl Ray Kennedy, White, Male, Gray hair, Green eyes, 5 foot 8 inches, weighing 170 lbs, Last Seen wearing a brown short sleeve shirt with gray shorts and black and white sketchers. He has a Tattoo of a skull on his Left forearm. Tattoo of a Skull with bandanna over the mouth on right forearm. An eye tattoo on the back of his right hand. Upper right arm pitbull with american bulldog written under it and a wizard on his left upper arm.
Last seen driving a gold four door Suzuki, with NC tag FAA-1873
For further information contact the Danville City Police Department at 434-799-5111or visit /www.