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A veteran Virginia police officer was shot dead Friday afternoon during a traffic stop, according to reports.
Constable Dominic “Nick” Winum, 48, of the Stanley Police Department, was shot and killed at around 3:15 pm while still in his vehicle, after arresting a driver who got out of his vehicle. and shot the officer, Virginia State Police confirmed according to WHSV-TV of Harrisonburg, Va.
The suspect, identified as Dakota Richards, 29, of Stanley, was fatally shot by Page County sheriff’s deputies after attempting to flee on foot through nearby woods, authorities said.
Richards was found inside a barn and shot dead after making a threatening move, WHSV reported.
Previous reports that a suspect had been taken into custody were not accurate.
It was not clear what circumstances led to the traffic being stopped, The Roanoke Times reported.
News of Winum’s death devastated law enforcement in the region.
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“Since joining our department in 2016, he has proudly served and protected the community of Stanley,” Stanley Police Chief Ryan Dean said in a statement obtained by News-Record. “I know the community of Stanley and Page County keep Nick and his family in their prayers during this most difficult and tragic time.”
“We have no words,” the Page County Sheriff’s Office added in a Facebook post. “Please pray for the family of our late brother, the Stanley Police Department and our law enforcement family.
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Winum previously served with the Virginia State Police, the agency now investigating his death, according to the News-Record.
The area was previously shot by a law enforcement officer in November, when Rockingham County Sheriff’s Assistant Corporal. Patrick Tate was shot dead during a traffic stop. Tate survived the shooting and continues to recover, the News-Record reported.
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