A police officer in a city in Virginia was shot dead by a driver during a traffic stop before he could get out of his patrol vehicle.
Officer Dominic “Nick” J. Winum, 48, was fatally shot in the city Friday afternoon, Police Chief Ryan Dean said in a statement.
Newspapers report that Winum was shot by Dakota G. Richards, 29, before getting out of his patrol vehicle. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Virginia state police told news agencies Richards ran away but was later found in a barn. The suspect allegedly made a “threatening move” and was shot dead by officers.
It was unclear what led to the stopping of the traffic.
Winum has been with Stanley Police since 2016, Dean said. Prior to that, Virginia State Police said he was a civil servant.