From Virginia State Police: The investigation remains ongoing at this time into the fatal shootings that occurred Monday (March 14, 2022) in the City of Covington.
The incident began at approximately 4:30 p.m. Monday, when Toney S. Poulston Jr., 42, of Covington, Va., entered a gas station/convenience/hardware store in the 100 block of North Alleghany Ave. A domestic situation ensued between Poulston and a relative who was employed at the store, Randall Lee Paxton, 64, of Covington, Va. The situation escalated to the point of Poulston shooting Paxton.
Upon being alerted to Poulston’s erratic and escalating behavior inside the store, the City of Covington Police and Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office immediately responded to the scene.
When the officers and deputies arrived, they encountered Poulston armed with a pistol coming out of the store. Shots were fired, which resulted in the death of Poulston and City of Covington Police Officer, Caleb Ogilvie, who had responded to the scene.
Once the scene was safely secured, law enforcement made their way inside the store. Inside they discovered Paxton deceased as a result of a gunshot wound. An adult female inside the store was not injured during the shooting. Both the female and Paxton were employees of the business, were married to one another, and related to Poulston.
The remains of all three decedents will be transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke for examination and autopsy.
No other employees were injured in the shooting; nor were any customers inside or outside the business injured in the shooting.
No additional law enforcement were injured during the course of the shootings.
At the request of City of Covington Police Chief Christopher J. Smith, the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office is investigating the line of duty death of his police officer and of Mr. Paxton. At the request of Chief Smith and Alleghany County Sheriff Kevin W. Hall, the VSP BCI Salem Field Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting.
