Crime and Public Safety

NEWS RELEASE: The Virginia State Police is searching for the suspect vehicle involved in a shooting this morning on Interstate 81 in Pulaski County. The suspect vehicle is described as a white passenger 4-door sedan with heavily-tinted windows. No license plate or any additional details available at this time.
At 1:30 a.m. Friday (Oct. 30), Virginia State Police was alerted to a shooting that had occurred on I-81 at approximately 1:15 a.m. A white 2019 Toyota Camry was traveling north on I-81 when a white sedan with heavily-tinted windows sped past at a high rate of speed and then started reacting aggressively towards the Camry. The white sedan eventually positioned itself on the passenger side of the Camry and the male driver began shooting into the Camry near the 91 mile marker, just south of Exit 92 for Draper. The white sedan then continued north on I-81.
The Camry’s adult female passenger, who is from Charlotte, N.C., was struck and suffered non-life threatening injuries. She has been treated and released from a hospital in Pulaski County. The adult male driver of the vehicle was not injured.
Anyone with information about the suspect vehicle or may recall seeing the shooting or aggressive driving of the white sedan is encouraged to call the Virginia State Police Wytheville Division by dialing #77 on a cell phone or 276-228-3131 or email us at questions@vsp.virginia.gov.

UPDATE 10-29 : Roanoke Police arrested Joshua Salters, 34 of Roanoke, regarding
the murder of Kenneth Scott. He is charged with second degree murder regarding this incident. Mr. Salters was taken into custody without further incident. No further updates are available at this time. The investigation remains ongoing.

(from Roanoke PD 10/26 4 pm) Roanoke Police have identified the victim in this incident as Kenneth Scott 24, of Roanoke. This incident is being investigated as a homicide. The investigation is on going. No arrest have been made in relation to this incident.

(from Roanoke PD) On October 24th at about 8:24 pm, Roanoke Police were dispatched to the 1900 Block Gayle Street NW in reference to a shooting. Upon officers arrival they located an adult male on the sidewalk who had been shot. Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to the scene and pronounced the victim deceased on scene. The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification to his family. Details of this incident are limited, detectives and forensics investigators are actively investigating this incident.

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 “Roanoke PD” to ensure it’s properly sent. Both calls and text can be sent anonymous.

(from Roanoke PD) On October 29, 2020 at approximately 3:15pm, Roanoke Police responded to reports of a person with a gunshot wound in the 2500 block of Melrose Avenue NW. Officers located a juvenile male with what appeared to be a non-life threatening gunshot wound in a vehicle in the immediate area.Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the juvenile to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment.

No one has been arrested regarding this incident. Further details are limited at this time. 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 “Roanoke PD” to ensure it’s properly sent. Both calls and text can remain anonymous.

UPDATED NEWS RELEASE: After further investigation, Roanoke Police determined that all four victims in this incident were struck by gunfire. The victims are an adult male and three adult females. Their injuries ranged from non-life threatening to serious, but all are in stable condition at this time.

No arrests have been made regarding this incident. Roanoke Detectives and Forensic Investigators are continuing to work diligently on this investigation. We ask that any members of the community who saw something or may know something about this act of gun violence call the Roanoke Police Department tipline at (540)344-8500. Callers can remain anonymous. Even if you think it might be insignificant, any piece of information could help us hold whoever did this accountable for their actions.

PREVIOUS: On October 28, 2020 at approximately 4:30pm, Roanoke Police were notified of multiple shots fired in the 1400 block of Rorer Avenue SW. While officers were responding, they were notified there was a victim with a gunshot wound in a residence in the immediate area. Responding officers located three additional victims on scene. All four victims were transported by Roanoke Fire-EMS to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. There is no information available about their conditions. No one has been arrested regarding this incident. Further details are limited at this time.

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 “Roanoke PD” to ensure it’s properly sent. Both calls and text can remain anonymous.

Roanoke County Police are conducting a murder investigation after 31 year old Julian Brown of Roanoke County was found dead from gunshot wounds late Monday night in the 7000 block of Thirlane Road. Officers found that two children were missing from the residence as well. A short time later a suspect and the children fled from the police in Mecklenburg County. The suspect is now under arrest after later being stopped by police in Chesterfield County. Social service workers are caring for the children and charges are pending.

(Roanoke County Police release) On October 26, 2020 at approximately 10:22 p.m., Roanoke County Police responded to the 7000 block of Thirlane Rd for a male with life-threatening wounds. The caller advised they had just returned to the residence and found the male. Officers arrived and located a deceased male that had suffered apparent gunshot wounds. The male was identified as Julian Brown, 31, of Roanoke County. Officers found that two children were missing from the residence as well as a vehicle belonging to Brown. Police learned that the suspect, who also resides in at home, could not be located and could possibly have the vehicle and be with the children.

A statewide lookout was given for the vehicle, the suspect, and the children. Roanoke County Police were advised a short time later that the vehicle had fled from officers in Mecklenburg County around the same time that the initial call was received. While following up on that information, Roanoke County was contacted by Chesterfield County Police and advised that the vehicle had also attempted to flee from them. Chesterfield County was eventually able to stop the vehicle and locate the suspect and the children who were all unharmed. The suspect was taken into custody by Chesterfield County and charged with several crimes related to the pursuit and held with no bond. Local Social Services workers responded to care for the children.Roanoke County Police continue to investigate the incident. Charges related to Brown’s death are pending.

Governor Northam

(from Governor’s office) RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced he has signed new laws he says will significantly advance police and criminal justice reform in Virginia. Governor Northam has been working closely with legislators on these measures since early summer, when the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor led to a national reckoning on racial bias in policing. These bills ban no-knock warrants, strengthen the officer decertification process and limit the use of neck restraints.
“Too many families, in Virginia and across our nation, live in fear of being hurt or killed by police,” said Governor Northam. “These new laws represent a tremendous step forward in rebuilding trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. I am grateful to the legislators and advocates who have worked so hard to make this change happen. Virginia is better, more just, and more equitable with these laws on our books.”

(from Roanoke PD) On October 25th, at about 12:30 am, Roanoke Police were dispatched to the 1800 Block Downing Street NW, in reference to a shooting. Upon officers arrival they located an adult male with what appeared to be a non-life threatening gun shot wound. Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to the scene and transported the male to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Officers were able to locate a residence in the immediate area where the shooting occurred. It was determined that the victim was at the residence when an altercation with a male occurred and the victim was shot and fled the residence. This is an on-going investigation and it is not believed to be related to the homicide on Gayle Street earlier in the evening. No arrest have been made in this incident.

FLOYD, Va. – Virginia State Police Senior Trooper A.G. Mackian is investigating a single vehicle crash which resulted in a fatality.  The crash occurred Sunday (Oct 25) at 2:18 a.m. on Route 221, four tenths of a mile north of Route 761 in Floyd County. A 1998 Ford Mustang was traveling south on Route 221, when the vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree; ejecting the driver. The driver was identified as Katerina Renee Higgins, 18, of Willis, Va.  Ms. Higgins was not wearing her seatbelt and died at the scene. The crash remains under investigation

(from Roanoke PD) On Saturday October 24 at about 4:25 am, Roanoke Police were notified than an adult male has arrived via personal vehicle at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital with a gun shot wound. Roanoke Officers responded and spoke with the male who advised he was traveling and pulled over in the area of 14th Street and Moorman Road NW and was standing outside his vehicle when an unknown vehicle drove by and he was shot. The male appeared to have non-life threatening wounds.

Additional Officers responded to the area and were unable to locate a crime scene.  Details on this incident are limited at this time. No arrests have been made regarding this investigation. 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.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Defense attorneys call it “the jury penalty.” It’s a centuries-old sentencing system in Virginia that calls for juries to decide punishment for criminal defendants, and often leads to stiffer sentences than what judges give or prosecutors offer in plea deals. This sentencing structure has been in place for 224 years, but under a bill recently approved by the state legislature, Virginia is expected to turn sentencing over to judges, joining the vast majority of states around the country. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, a strong supporter of criminal justice reform, is expected to sign the bill into law.

The proposal sparked fierce debate during a special legislative session focused on criminal justice and police reform. Supporters of the change said giving judges the sentencing responsibility will result in fairer sentences, but prosecutors predicted it will result in more jury trials and therefore require additional judges, court clerks and public defenders.

The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Sen. Joe Morrissey from Richmond, said that under the current system, many people charged with crimes in Virginia are so fearful of getting a severe sentence from a jury that they often accept a plea deal from prosecutors that includes a longer sentence than they would typically get from a judge.

Unlike judges, juries in Virginia are not given state sentencing guidelines that would tell them what a typical sentence would be for a particular crime, and they tend to hand out stiffer sentences. In fiscal year 2019, sentences handed down by juries went above sentencing guidelines 37% of the time, and in 2018, juries exceeded sentencing guidelines nearly 50% of the time, according to annual reports by the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission.

“Jurors have no idea what a normal sentence is,” Morrissey said. “That’s why it is important to have a judge sentencing who has the guidelines and can put it into context.” But prosecutors said turning sentencing over to judges will result in more defendants going to trial instead of accepting a plea deals, adding strain to a judicial system already struggling with a large backload of cases caused by the postponement of jury trials during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Prosecutors believe the state will end up needing more judges, public defenders, court clerks and support staff to handle longer trial dockets.