In the late hours of a spring evening in Norfolk, Virginia, a sequence of violent events unfolded, culminating in the tragic death of Police Officer Brian Wayne Jones. A 34-year-old male, Jones was a five-year veteran of the Norfolk Police Department and a U.S. Navy veteran.
The incident began when a suspect, later identified as 29-year-old James Andrew Brown, started randomly firing a weapon at citizens while driving down Chesapeake Boulevard.
This initial burst of violence resulted in the death of a 17-year-old boy. Shortly after, Officer Jones located the suspect's vehicle parked outside a residence on Wellington Road and, along with an off-duty officer who had also responded, approached the house. As they were assessing the situation, the suspect opened fire on them from inside his home with a high-powered rifle.
Officer Jones was struck and critically wounded. Both he and the other wounded officer were transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where Officer Jones succumbed to his injuries on May 30, 2014.
The suspect, James Andrew Brown, fled the scene in his vehicle but was pursued by another officer. After crashing his car, Brown exited with a firearm and engaged in a struggle with the pursuing officer. In the ensuing confrontation, the officer shot and killed Brown. The Commonwealth's Attorney later determined that the officer who shot Brown acted lawfully and in self-defense, and no charges were filed against him.
