On a spring afternoon in Richmond, Virginia, the life of 37-year-old White male, Chad Phillip Dermyer, a dedicated Virginia State Trooper, was cut tragically short. It was March 31, 2016, and Dermyer, along with about a dozen other troopers, was participating in an interdiction training course at the bustling Greyhound bus terminal. The purpose of the training was to hone their skills in identifying and apprehending individuals involved in criminal activity.
Around 2:45 p.m., Trooper
Dermyer approached a man just inside the front entrance of the station. The man, later identified as James Brown III of Aurora, Illinois, engaged in a brief conversation with the trooper. Suddenly and without warning, Brown produced a handgun and opened fire, striking Dermyer multiple times. The unexpected violence sent shockwaves through the station, injuring two women in the chaos that ensued.
Two of Dermyer’s fellow troopers, who were nearby, immediately returned fire. A short foot pursuit took place inside the terminal before Brown was fatally shot by the officers. Despite being rushed to VCU Medical Center, Trooper Dermyer succumbed to his wounds. The two injured women were also transported to the hospital and were expected to recover.
Investigations into the incident revealed that the shooter, James Brown III, had a lengthy and violent criminal record. His past charges included attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm, and aggravated battery of a pregnant woman. Family members of Brown indicated that he harbored a deep-seated animosity towards law enforcement and had expressed a desire to die in a shootout with police rather than return to prison. Surveillance footage from the bus station showed Brown walking towards his bags before his encounter with Dermyer. He was armed with a legally purchased handgun, though not purchased by him, and was carrying over 140 rounds of ammunition. No clear motive for his actions was ever established beyond his known hatred for the police. James Brown III was killed at the scene and therefore no arrests were made in connection with Trooper Dermyer's death.
