- Authorities said that a convicted felon killed two Virginia Beach police officers over the weekend, during a traffic stop. The officers have been identified as 25-year-old Cameron Girvin, and 30-year-old Christopher Reese, who died Saturday after being shot multiple times in what officials described as a “horrific” incident late Friday night.
- The shooting unfolded after the officers pulled over a driver, identified as 42-year-old John McCoy III, for expired plates, after which an argument and physical struggle ensued.
- Law enforcement described the killings as executions.
Full Story
Virginia authorities said a convicted felon killed two police officers over the weekend of Feb. 21 during a traffic stop.
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The Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) officers were named as Cameron Girvin, 25, and Christopher Reese, 30. The two died on Saturday, Feb. 22, after being shot multiple times in what was described as a “horrific” incident” late Friday, Feb. 21.
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What is the mayor saying?
“Today, our city is heartbroken, we mourn the loss of our two own brave Virginia Beach police officers, who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” Robert M. Dyer, the mayor of Virginia Beach, said on Saturday. “Their dedication to protecting our community will never be forgotten.”
How did the deadly encounter unfold?
The shootings unfolded after the officers pulled over a driver, identified as 42-year-old John McCoy III for expired plates, after which an argument and physical struggle ensued.
“They made numerous requests for him to exit the vehicle,” Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate said. “At some point, he complied with those requests, stepped out of the vehicle. Almost immediately, there was a tussle between the officers and this individual. While that tussle was occurring, this individual pulled a pistol out of his pocket and immediately shot both VBPD officers.”
Law enforcement described the killings as executions.
“While on the ground, defenseless, he shot them each a second time,” said Neudigate.
Both officers died of their wounds at the hospital on Saturday.
What happened to the suspect?
Officials said McCoy was later found inside a shed, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The deadly encounter was captured on the officers’ body cameras sand squad car dashboard camera, according to Virginia Beach police.
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Were there any other people involved?
There was a passenger in the vehicle with McCoy, but that person is not reportedly facing charges.
Police said it had been 16 years since the last time a Virginia Beach officer was killed in the line-of-duty.
[MAYOR ROBERT M. DYER]
“TODAY, OUR CITY IS HEARTBROKEN. WE MOURN THE LOSS OF OUR TWO OWN BRAVE VIRGINIA BEACH POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. THEIR DEDICATION TO PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.”
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
VIRGINIA AUTHORITIES SAY A CONVICTED FELON KILLED TWO POLICE OFFICERS OVER THE WEEKEND DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.
OFFICIALS REVEALED VIRGINIA BEACH POLICE OFFICERS CAMERON GIRVIN, WHO WAS 25, AND CHRISTOPHER REESE, WHO WAS 30, DIED SATURDAY AFTER BEING SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES IN WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AS A “HORRIFIC” INCIDENT.
THE SHOOTINGS UNFOLDING AFTER THE OFFICERS PULLED OVER A DRIVER, IDENTIFIED AS 42-YEAR-OLD JOHN MCCOY THE THIRD, FOR EXPIRED PLATES, AFTER WHICH AN ARGUMENT AND PHYSICAL STRUGGLE ENSUED.
[PAUL NEUDIGATE]
THEY MADE NUMEROUS REQUEST FOR HIM TO EXIT. AT SOME POINT HE COMPLIED WITH THOSE REQUESTS, STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A TUSSLE BETWEEN THE OFFICERS AND THIS INDIVIDUAL. WHILE THAT TUSSLE WAS OCCURRING, THIS INDIVIDUAL PULLED A PISTOL OUT FROM HIS POCKET AND IMMEDIATELY SHOT BOTH V-B-P-D OFFICERS.”
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
LAW ENFORCEMENT DESCRIBED THE KILLINGS AS EXECUTIONS.
[PAUL NEUDIGATE]
WHILE ON THE GROUND, DEFENSELESS, HE SHOT THEM EACH A SECOND TIME.
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
BOTH OFFICERS DIED OF THEIR WOUNDS AT THE HOSPITAL.
OFFICIALS SAID MCCOY WAS LATER FOUND DEAD INSIDE A SHED FROM A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND.
THE DEADLY ENCOUNTER WAS CAPTURED ON THE OFFICERS’ BODY CAMS AND SQUAD CAR DASHBOARD CAMERA, ACCORDING TO VIRGINIA BEACH POLICE.
LAW ENFORCEMENT SAID MCCOY WAS CONVICTED OF A FELONY IN 2009 AND CARRYING A GUN WOULD’VE RESULTED IN A NEW FELONY CHARGE.
THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE WITH MCCOY BUT THAT PERSON IS NOT FACING CHARGES.
AUTHORITIES SAY THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AND ASKED FOR THE PUBLIC’S PATIENCE AS THEY “GRIEVE THE LOSS OF THEIR OWN.”
POLICE SAY IT’S BEEN 16 YEARS SINCE THE LAST TIME A VIRGINIA BEACH OFFICER WAS KILLED IN THE LINE-OF-DUTY.
[PAUL NEUDIGATE]
TWO HEROES THAT WENT TO WORK LAST NIGHT AND DIDN’T MAKE IT HOME. TWO HEROES THAT PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR OUR SOCIETY, AND TWO HEROES, OFFICER CAMERON GIRVIN AND OFFICER CHRISTOPHER REECE.”
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 35%
Center 58%
Right 8%
Bias Summary
- Two police officers were killed during a shooting following a traffic stop in Virginia Beach late on Feb. 21, 2025, according to the police.
- Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate and Mayor Bobby Dyer are scheduled to hold a news conference on Feb. 22, 2025, to discuss the incident.
- The Norfolk Sheriff's Office expressed condolences on social media, stating, "We are devastated to confirm the deaths of two of our officers, who were shot in the line of duty."
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
employ emotionally charged language, framing the officers’ deaths as a tragic loss and emphasizing societal impacts on law enforcement.
Media outlets in the center
adopt a more fact-based tone, focusing mainly on procedural aspects and official responses while avoiding extensive emotional appeals.
Media outlets on the right
provide detailed concision of the shooting, emphasizing the suspect’s actions and motivations, which present a narrative that highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement.
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Bias Distribution
47 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
47
Leaning Left
14
Center
23
Leaning Right
3
Last Updated
1 month ago
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