In the early morning hours of April 14, 1984, a sense of duty called 26-year-old Norfolk Police Officer Douglas Eric Drye to a residence on Green Street. Responding to a report of shots fired, he and another officer arrived to find a woman suffering from a gunshot wound inside a car. As they attempted to render aid, a man from inside the nearby home opened fire with an M-1 rifle, striking Officer Drye.
Despite the immediate danger, his fellow officer and two citizens pulled the fallen
policeman to a position of cover. Tragically, the severity of his wounds was too great, and Officer Drye succumbed to his injuries before he could be transported to a hospital. He had been a member of the Norfolk Police Department for two years.
Following the shooting of Officer Drye, a standoff ensued with the gunman. The confrontation ultimately resulted in the suspect being shot and killed at the scene. Officer Drye was survived by his wife, daughter, and parents.
