What we know: Fatal shooting at Richmond’s Greyhound bus station

Two people–a Virginia State Police Trooper and the shooter–were killed; two others were injured in a shooting that took place Thursday afternoon at the bus terminal on North Boulevard.

April 1, 2016; 12:56 PM • by Trevor Dickerson

Photo: Mike Valerio (via Twitter)

A tragic shooting that took place at the Greyhound bus terminal on North Boulevard Thursday afternoon took the life of a Virginia State Police trooper, injured several others, and thrust the Richmond area into the national spotlight. The investigation into the incident, which is being handled jointly by Richmond, Henrico, and Virginia State Police as well as in tandem with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, the ATF, and U.S. Marshall’s Service, is still in its early stages, and more details will likely come today.

Here’s what we know so far.

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The Incident

Around 2:40 PM, Richmond Police received a call for service regarding an active shooter situation at the bus station located at 2910 North Boulevard near The Diamond. There were lines of people waiting for a bus to go to annapolis. Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corrine Geller says in a news release that Trooper Chad P. Dermyer approached a male subject, later identified as James Brown III of Aurora, Illinois, just inside the front doors of the bus station. During the course of talking with Brown, he pulled out a handgun and shot the trooper multiple times at close range. As the suspect continued firing his weapon, two state troopers, who were nearby, returned fire.

The shooter continued to be combative as police took him into custody and EMS crews attempted to render aid to him. He was transported to VCU Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries later Thursday afternoon. The suspect’s handgun was recovered at the scene.

During the course of the gunfire, two adult females inside the bus terminal were also shot. Both were transported to VCU Medical Center and are being treated for of non-life threatening injuries. No other law enforcement personnel or civilians were injured in the shooting.

Trooper Dermyer was among approximately a dozen state police troopers participating in a specialized training on criminal interdiction practices. They had completed the classroom instruction and were conducting field practicals at the time the shooting occurred. Trooper Dermyer’s encounter with the male subject was part of the training, and he was in what police are calling a “fatigue” uniform–slightly different than a standard issue uniform–at the time of the incident.

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The Fallen Trooper

Virginia State Police Trooper Chad P. Dermyer (Photo: Virginia State Police)

Virginia State Police Trooper Chad P. Dermyer, 37, was transported to VCU Medical Center, where he died later Thursday afternoon. A Jackson, Michigan native, Dermyer graduated from the Virginia State Police Academy November of 2014. His original patrol assignment was to the Chesapeake Division’s Area 46 Office, which encompasses the cities of Newport News and Hampton. He had just recently transferred to the state police Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Interdiction Unit. Prior to joining the state police, Trooper Dermyer served with the City of Newport News Police Department and the Jackson, Michigan Police Department. He was also a four-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Dermyer is survived by a wife, Michelle, and two young children.

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Student Athlete Victim

One of the two civilians injured at the Greyhound station was confirmed by the Binghamton University Athletics Department to be a student athlete at the school who was en route to a track meet at William & Mary. The school, located in Binghamton, New York, has been in touch with the student’s parents and has arranged for counselors to be available to the student and her fellow student-athletes, administrators said in a news release. The victim’s injuries are not considered life-threatening.

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Friday Evening Prayer Vigil

Two local anti-violence coalitions, Richmond United for Law Enforcement and United Communities Against Crime, are coming together to host a prayer vigil for fallen trooper Dermyer at the VCU Siegel Center at 6:30 PM. “We are asking that the community come out and unite with the law enforcement community to show our respect and support for Trooper Chad Derrmyer and his family,” the organization posted on Facebook. Organizers ask those who plan to attend to wear navy blue shirts and/or to bring blue or white roses to honor the life of Dermyer.

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Stay with RVANews for more on this story as details emerge and the investigation continues to unfold.