A Virginia state trooper is among three people wounded during a shootout at a Greyhound bus station in Richmond, VA. on Thursday.
NBC12 reports the state trooper is in critical condition at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center.
The state troopers were conduction a training exercise inside the bus station at 2:45 p.m. when the gunman approached one of the officers and shot him in the chest.
Two troopers returned fire, hitting the gunman multiple times. The gunman died en route to VCU Medical center.
Two bystanders were shot during the melee and are being treated at VCU Medical Center.
Brendan Hamilton told NBC12 he was outside the station smoking a cigarette when he heard gunshots inside.
“I had my hand on the door handle,” said Hamilton. “I heard two gun shots go off… there were five, maybe 10 more after that, and I could see the muzzle flash through the tinted door.”
Michael Bickett, who works across the street from the bus station, told Reuters:
“A co-worker was eating lunch in his car when he saw Greyhound Workers and customers rushing out the side door. He figured that was a good time to get back inside.”
Earlier reports said the trooper was dead, but those reports were false. The Greyhound bus station reopened just after 5:30 p.m.
Mayor Dwight Jones released a statement, saying: “This is still an active investigation and a very fluid matter. Virginia State Police are going to need time to verify and validate all of the information.”
