WASHINGTON — An arrest has been made after the fatal shooting of a Virginia State Police special agent in Richmond.
Travis Ball, 27, was arrested in Virginia’s Northern Neck just after 6 a.m. Saturday.
Virginia State Police said Special Agent Michael Walter, 45, was riding along with a Richmond city police officer around 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Walter and the officer noticed a Chevrolet Cobalt pull up to a curb in the 1900 block of Redd Street in the city’s East End, just east of downtown.
The Richmond officer spoke with the driver and Walter went to talk to Ball, who was sitting in the passenger side.
Police said that within moments, a single shot was fired, and Ball then ran from the car on foot.
The Richmond officer immediately called for medical assistance and went to help Walter, who had been injured.
The driver of the car stayed at the scene and was detained by Richmond police, officials said.
They did not say whether the driver will face any charges.
Walter succumbed to his injuries shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday at VCU Medical Center in Richmond.
After the shooting, police set up a perimeter in the neighborhood to protect residents, preserve the crime scene and ideally find Ball.
Tips eventually led police to find Ball at a home in Northumberland County on Virginia’s Northern Neck about 11 hours later.
He was arrested without incident.
Ball was being held without bond on malicious wounding and weapons charges. Police said more charges are pending.
State police said Walter had been assigned to the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Richmond Office’s Drug Enforcement Section and routinely worked with Richmond police on investigations and patrol.
Police said they are still investigating.
Walter had two sons — ages 14 and 9 — and a 6-year-old daughter, State Police Superintendent Col. Steven Flaherty said.
He was an 18-year veteran of Virginia State Police and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Flaherty said.
Walter was promoted to special agent in 2010 and was working in drug enforcement in the state police’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Richmond field office. Outside of his work in law enforcement, he founded a nonprofit youth wrestling organization.
“We’re family. Like any family, these sorts of losses are incredibly tragic,” Flaherty said.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said he and the first lady are heartbroken for Walter’s wife and children.
“Special Agent Walter was one of our brave men and women in uniform who risk their lives every single day to protect their fellow Virginians. We will be forever grateful for his service and sacrifice,” McAuliffe said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
