VIDEO: Virginia Officer Killed in Shootout with Ex-con
A Virginia teenager was reportedly killed on his way home from a high school graduation by an ex-con. The suspect later got into a shootout with police, where one officer was killed and another officer wounded. The suspect was later killed by police, Fox News reports.
Mark Rodriguez, 17, was killed by James Andrew Brown after he began shooting from his jeep around 11 p.m. Friday according to Norfolk Police Chief Michael Goldsmith. Rodriguez was struck by a bullet while he was sitting inside his own vehicle, WVEC reports.
Rodriguez had just finished his junior year at Norfolk Christians School. He was driving home from the school's graduation festivities when he was killed, according to the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot.
Police told the newspaper that after the teen was shot, Officers Brian Jones and Curtis Allison responded to the call, pursuing Brown to his home.
Officer Jones was on the force for five years. He leaves behind a wife, two sons, and a daughter.
"He's trained, he responded, he did everything he was supposed to do," said Norfolk Police Chief Michael Goldsmith, according to WVEC. "My heart goes out to the family, my heart goes out to anybody that worked with him. I'm a cop just like everybody else is. This hurts...when one of us goes, especially in the line of duty like this, it's tough."
