BANK ROBBERY / DEPUTY-INVOLVED SHOOTING
Rockbridge County, Virginia
Updated 12.18.17 to add VSP press release. Killed suspect identified:VIRGINIA STATE POLICE INVESTIGATING OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING IN ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY
(Update)
ROCKBRIDGE CO., Va. – The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Dec. 15, 2017, at the College Square Shopping Center in Rockbridge County.
At 10:55 a.m. Friday, the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of a robbery in progress at the Cornerstone Bank. Three deputies from the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene and located the robbery suspect running behind an adjacent building. When the deputies challenged the subject, the subject brandished a handgun and pointed it at the deputies. The deputies fired at the suspect.
Despite CPR efforts administered at the scene by EMS, Robert Allen Morrison, 57, of Charlottesville, Va, died at the scene.
At the request of the Rockbridge County Sheriff, Virginia State Police is investigating the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Verbatim Press Release From Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office:
At 10:55 a.m., the Rockbridge Regional Public Safety Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a bank robbery in progress at the Cornerstone Bank in the College Square Shopping Center. Three deputies arrived on scene and located the suspect behind an adjacent building. When deputies confronted the suspect, the suspect brandished a handgun and pointed it at the deputies. The deputies fired at the suspect. Despite CPR efforts administered at the scene the suspect died.
Sheriff’s investigators are investigating today’s bank robbery as well as a previous bank robbery that took place at the same bank earlier this year in September. Early indications appear to link today’s suspect to the earlier robbery.
Sheriff Blalock has requested the Virginia State Police to investigate the deputy-involved shooting. The deputies that were involved in this incident have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the State Police investigation.
