An officer with the Stanley (VA) Police Department was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Friday afternoon.
Officer Dominic “Nick” Winum, 48, had served the department since 2016.
According to Virginia State Police, Winum initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle, but before he could get out of his patrol vehicle, the driver got out of his vehicle and opened fire.

Officer Dominic “Nick” Winum, 48, of the Stanley (VA) Police Department was murdered Friday at a traffic stop. (Photo: Stanley PD)
An officer with the Stanley (VA) Police Department was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Friday afternoon.
Officer Dominic “Nick” Winum, 48, had served the department since 2016.
According to Virginia State Police, Winum initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle, but before he could get out of his patrol vehicle, the driver got out of his vehicle and opened fire, NBC29 reports.
The suspect, Dakota G. Richards, 29, of Stanley, Va., fled into the nearby woods on foot.
Law enforcement later located Richards hiding out in a barn. Police said Richards made a threatening movement and was shot by Page County Sheriff’s Deputies. Richards died from his injuries.

The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.
Read More →
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →
Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.
Read More →
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →
Versaterm has acquired Aloft, an FAA-approved Unmanned Service Supplier (USS) that specializes in real-time airspace intelligence and flight authorizations.
Read More →