Two Officers Killed, Suspect in Custody After Shooting at College in Virginia

Two campus officers were fatally shot at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia, on Tuesday, February 1, local media reported. A suspect was arrested after fleeing the scene, police said.

According to CBS 6 and NBC12, the victims were named by Bridgewater College as Campus Safety Officer JJ Jefferson and Campus Police Officer John Painter. In a statement, the college described Jefferson and Painter as close friends who were beloved by staff and students, and noted that Painter had been Jefferson’s best man at his wedding earlier this year, CBS 6 reported.

The shooting at the private liberal arts college unfolded shortly after 1 pm and prompted a response from multiple agencies, including Virginia State Police.

At 1:24 pm, Bridgewater College issued a shelter-in-place order due to reports of an “active shooter on campus” and, in a tweet sent one minute later, emphasized that the alert was “not a test.” Virginia State Police said the suspect was taken into police custody at 1:55 pm.

This video, captured by Bridgewater resident David Yarber and posted on Facebook, shows the suspect being arrested close to Airport Road and Warm Springs Pike, less than half a mile from Bridgewater College. Law enforcement officers with their weapons drawn are shown using vehicles for cover as they engage the suspect. Police are heard asking the suspect to identify themselves. They then order the suspect to walk toward them backwards with their hands raised, before telling the suspect to get on the ground. The suspect complies with the orders and, after dropping to the ground, is surrounded by officers and arrested. Credit: David Yarber via Storyful