Virginia officer fatally shot during traffic stop in Shenandoah Valley

STANLEY, Va. (AP) — Authorities said a police officer in Virginia has been shot and killed by a driver during a traffic stop.

Stanley police said 48-year-old officer Dominic Winum was fatally shot in the town Friday afternoon.

News outlets report 29-year-old Dakota Richards shot Winum before the officer could get out of his patrol vehicle.

Virginia State Police said Richards ran away but was later found hiding in a barn. Richards reportedly made a “threatening movement” and was shot and killed by officers.


It’s unclear what led up to the traffic stop. Winum had been with Stanley police since 2016. Before that, he was a Virginia state trooper.

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