Crime and Public Safety

(update 1/25 10am) On January 24, 2022 at approximately 6:00 a.m., the City of Roanoke E-911
Center advised Roanoke Police of a person with a gunshot wound in the 2300 block of Highland Farm Road NW. Responding officers located an adult male with what appeared to be a serious gunshot wound outside of a residence in the area. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Further details about this incident are limited at this time. No suspects were located on scene and no arrests have been made. This remains an ongoing investigation.

 

UPDATE: WDBJ-7 is reporting there is a large police presence this morning at the Countryside Estates on Highland Farm Road, near William Fleming Highschool,  in Northwest Roanoke after one person was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound. No suspect is in custody at this time.

(from Roanoke PD) On January 23, 2022 at approximately 7:15 p.m., the City of Roanoke E-911 Center notified Roanoke Police of a person with a gunshot wound inside of a business in the 500 block of 8th Street NW. Responding officers located an adult male with critical injuries. Roanoke Fire-EMS personnel pronounced the man deceased on scene. His identity will be released after next-of-kin
is properly notified. No suspects were located immediately after the incident occurred. While officers were on scene, a vehicle parked approximately a block away from the scene and began shooting in the direction of officers. The vehicle then drove a short distance and fired again in officers’ direction. No officers were injured during this incident before fleeing the area . The suspect vehicle fled the area and was not immediately located.

Later that night at approximately 9:00 p.m., Roanoke Police were notified of a person with a gunshot wound in the 2900 block of Hershberger Road NW. Responding officers located an adult female inside of a business in the area with what appeared to be a non-life threatening injury. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the woman to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the male subject approached the female victim while she was outside of the business, shot at her, stole her personal items, and fled the scene. Officers did not locate the man immediately after this incident occurred.

Through the course of the investigation, Roanoke Officers and Detectives determined that the suspect was the offender in both of the above incidents. A warrant was obtained and officers began working to locate the suspect. Early this morning, Roanoke Police were notified by the Greensboro Police Department in North Carolina that the suspect involved in the incidents above was in custody on charges regarding an incident that occurred in their jurisdiction. This incident is unrelated to both of the Roanoke investigations and occurred after the offenses referenced in this release. The suspect’s identity and charges will be shared when the warrants are
served.

(from Roanoke PD) On January 22, 2022 at approximately 6:40 p.m., Roanoke Police were notified of a person with a gunshot wound in the 700 block of Fairfax Avenue NW. As officers arrived on scene, the City of Roanoke E-911 Center advised that the victim, an adult male, had arrived via personal vehicle at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of what appeared to be serious, but non-life threatening injuries. Officers on scene located evidence of a shooting outside of a business in the area, but no suspects were located. No arrests have been made regarding this incident. Further details are limited at this time. This remains an ongoing investigation.

(from Roanoke County PD) Officers with the Roanoke County Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls of 2 subjects shooting as well as two vehicles being rammed into each other in the 7200 block of South Barrens Road on 1/18/21 at approximately 1:20am. Upon arriving on scene and speaking with multiple subjects and witnesses officers arrested Alisha S. Cooper, 33 year old female of Roanoke City for 2 counts of attempted malicious wounding and possession of a firearm, ammunition by a convicted felon. Calvin Williams Jr, 38 year old male of Roanoke City, for attempted malicious wounding and possession of a firearms, ammunition by convicted felon. Cedell Allen, 37 year old female of Roanoke County, for assault and battery.

The Roanoke County Police Department was unable to locate firearms reportedly used in the commission of these crimes. The department attempted to locate the firearms with a police K9, multiple officers to searched the area and detectives canvased the area the next morning in more lighted conditions.

Due to the close proximity to a large number of citizens and children who reside at the Peters Creek Apartment Complex the Roanoke County PD would like the public to be aware of this information. Any dangerous weapons located by the public we ask the public to not touch them and to call 911 immediately.

(update 1/24/pm) UPDATE: Roanoke Police have identified the victim of this incident as Jody McFarland, 35 of Roanoke. No further updates are available at this time.

(from Roanoke City PD) On January 19 [this morning] at approximately 6:50 a.m., the City of Roanoke E-911 Center notified Roanoke Police of a person with injury in the 3700 block of Williamson Road NW. Responding officers located an unresponsive adult female partially in the roadway. Roanoke Fire-EMS personnel pronounced the woman deceased on scene. Her identity will be released after next-of-kin is properly notified. Preliminary investigation indicates this incident is a traffic fatality. The suspect vehicle has not been located at this time and further details are limited. This is being investigated as a fatal hit-and-run.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call (540)344-8500 and share what you know. You can also text us at 274637; please begin the text with “RoanokePD” to ensure it’s properly sent. Both calls and texts can remain anonymous.

(from Governor Northam’s office) On this date, January 14, 2022, I declare that a state of emergency exists in the Commonwealth of Virginia to prepare and coordinate our response to severe winter weather. The Virginia Emergency Operations Center has been actively monitoring the movement of a major winter weather system heading toward Virginia, with anticipated tracks showing impacts beginning the evening of Saturday, January 15, 2022. The National Weather Service is still refining its forecasts based on real-time data, but initial forecasts are predicting impactful to highly impactful snow, sleet, ice, and freezing rain across broad swaths of the Commonwealth, to include higher impacts in the same area affected by the first event.

This area is still dealing with the consequences of last week’s back-to-back events, including power restoration and significant debris removal. This upcoming weather system is likely to include additional downed trees, more electrical outages, and significant impacts on travel conditions. Given the storm’s current forecast, the Commonwealth is leaning forward to assist localities and assist all Virginians who face the impacts of this complex, statewide storm while also coordinating continued COVID operations. Pre-positioning response assets and supplies will be necessary to assist our local and state partners whose resources have been severely strained by ongoing events. The Virginia Emergency Support Team will activate for this incident.

RoCo Fire & Rescue FB photo

Roanoke County Fire and Rescue responded around 1:45 p.m. today in the 6600 block of Back Creek Road, in the Clearbrook area, for the report of smoke in the trees. First arriving crews found a double-wide mobile home that was fully involved in fire. The home was occupied by a single adult and one dog at the time of the fire. The adult and the dog were not able to evacuate and both perished in the fire. The home is a total loss. The fire was under control in approximately 50 minutes. The Roanoke County Fire Marshal’s Office is on scene along with the Roanoke County Police Department to investigate.