Suspect In Killing Of Virginia Trooper Had Long Rap Sheet: Police

Trooper Chad Dermyer’s patrol car sits on display in front of the Virginia State Police Administrative Headquarters in North Chesterfield County, in this undated handout photo provided by the Virginia State Police, April 1, 2016. REUTERS/Virginia State Police/Handout via Reuters

The slain suspect in the fatal shooting of a Virginia State Police officer during a bus station training exercise was an Illinois man with a long criminal record, authorities said on Friday.

James Brown III, 34, of Aurora, Illinois, is suspected of shooting Trooper Chad Dermyer on Thursday at Richmond’s Greyhound bus station, police said.

Brown had a history of violent offenses, including gun violence, and drug violations and had served two years in prison, State Police Superintendent Colonel Steven Flaherty said.

“He has an extensive criminal history in the state of Illinois. He is known to the Aurora Police Department,” he said at a news conference.

Dermyer, who was among 16 officers on an anti-terrorism training exercise, approached Brown in the station lobby. Brown walked a few feet away, pulled a .40 caliber Beretta pistol from his pants and shot Dermyer, 37, multiple times, Flaherty said.

Other officers shot Brown. Both he and Dermyer died in hospital.

Based on Brown’s bus ticket, he was traveling from Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, to Chicago, Flaherty said. Police found 143 rounds of ammunition in Brown’s luggage.

Flaherty said the pistol had been purchased legally 13 months before but not by Brown. Investigators are tracing the weapon to see how it had ended up in his hands.

Two women inside the bus station were also shot, but their injuries were not life-threatening, police said.

Dermyer, a Marine Corps veteran, had recently been transferred to an anti-terrorism unit.