A fight between roommates at a James City County senior living center has left one man shot dead by a police officer who is suffering serious injuries after he was struck by a car.
James City County police were called at 4:22 p.m. Monday to respond to a fight that had started inside Colonial Manor Senior Living, located at 8679 Pocahontas Trail. Two men, whom police describe as roommates, were involved in an altercation of some sort. The fight eventually moved outside the senior living center.
After a responding James City police officer got out of his car to confront the suspects, he was struck by a car driven by one of the men who had been fighting. The 44-year-old officer was struck and pinned between his vehicle and the suspect’s car, said James City Police spokesman Maj. Steve Rubino. The officer then fired shots into the suspect’s car. The suspect then drove away to the side of the facility and returned on foot to the injured officer, threatening to kill him. Following another brief struggle, the officer fired another shot, killing the 26-year-old suspect.
The injured officer was conscious when he was airlifted to Norfolk General Hospital, where he is being treated for a broken pelvis and fractured elbow.
Well into the evening, the body of the man shot dead still lay in the parking lot. His roommate was taken to a local hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
Rubino is not yet able to release the dead man’s name until his next of kin is notified. The officer’s name is also not being released at this time.
The resident is not a senior citizen, but was living at Colonial Manor as part of a Community Services Board program. In an interview with WYDaily, Colonial Manor Senior Living’s owner/director Dr. Pedro Becerra identified the dead man and his roommate as temporary residents who had been living at the center for about two months. Becerra said the two were the only CSB placements in the 65-bed center and had not presented a problem during their time at Colonial Manor.
He said the placement was part of a program that provides transitional housing while clients get back on their feet.
Rubino said James City police will conduct an internal investigation but that the criminal investigation would be handled by the Virginia State Police.
