The family and colleagues of one of the police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in Virginia had nothing but kind words to say about the young officer. They described him as a refreshing presence and a dedicated individual who was always ready to risk his life to ensure the safety of his community.
The tragic incident occurred when Officers Cameron Girvin, 25, and Christopher Reese, 30, were fatally shot during a routine traffic stop in Virginia Beach by a criminal named John McCoy III.
During the traffic stop, McCoy opened fire with a handgun after being pulled over for having an expired license plate. The officers, who were defenseless on the ground, were shot a second time as they lay injured, resulting in their untimely deaths in local hospitals, as reported by Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate.
McCoy was later found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Virginia Beach Police Officer Cameron Girvin, center, was shot and killed Friday while conducting a traffic stop. (Photo courtesy of the Girvin family)
Even though officers approach the instances with the utmost safety, he said things can still go awry.
“When you pull someone over, you do not know how their day is going,” he said. “You do not know what is happening in their life and what they’re going through. … I believe traffic stops are one of the most dangerous aspects of law enforcement.
Bowman added that Girvin had a long-lasting impact, not only on his brothers and sisters in Virginia Beach, but also back home in New York.
“I hope I led him in the right direction,” he said. “I told him, ‘It’s the best career path you’ll ever choose.’ But unfortunately, there’s evil in this world that walks among us, and unfortunately for him, he met that evil. It’s not fair. Not fair at all.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, a GoFundMe created to support the Girvin family had raised more than $70,000.
