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Virginia State Police www.vsp.virginia.gov Media Release 

Regional Media Contacts

Statewide(804)674-2789

Richmond(804)553-3494

Culpeper(540)829-7713

Appomattox(434)352-7128

Wytheville(276)228-3131

Chesapeake(757)424-6827

Salem/Roanoke(540)375-9598

Fairfax(804)674-2789

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News Release No. 7

For Immediate Release:  April 1, 2016 

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES INTO FATAL SHOOTING

AT RICHMOND BUS STATION

RICHMOND, Va.  – The investigation continues into the March 31, 2016, shooting at a City of Richmond

bus terminal the resulted in two citizens being injured and a Virginia State Police (VSP) killed in the line of

duty.

Based on surveillance video obtained from the Greyhound Bus Station at 2910 North Boulevard, James

Brown III, 34, of Aurora, Illinois, was initially seated in the terminal’s restaurant. As VSP Trooper Chad P.

Dermyer began walking through the terminal, Brown walked out of the restaurant and into the restroom.Brown then exited the bathroom and began walking towards the front entrance of the bus station when

Trooper Dermyer engaged him in a brief conversation at approximately 2:40 p.m. Brown then turned away

from the trooper and, within seconds, pulled a Beretta 40-caliber, semi-automatic handgun from the waist

of his pants, turned back around and began shooting at the trooper. Brown and Trooper Dermyer were

within arm’s reach of one another at that time.

Trooper Dermyer was shot several times. As soon as the gunfire erupted, two plainclothes state troopers

who were also participating in the operation began firing at Brown. Moments later, Brown moved into the

restaurant, where he was taken into custody and medics rendered aid to him. Brown was transported to

VCU Medical Center in Richmond, where he died later Thursday (March 31).

During the gunfire, a 21-year-old female from Wingdale, N.Y., was grazed by a bullet and a 41-year-old

Jacksonville, N.C., woman suffered a non-life threatening injury. Both women were transported to VCU

Medical Center for treatment. They were both inside the terminal at the time of the shooting; and were both

bus passengers.

No other law enforcement personnel or civilians were injured in the shooting.

Brown’s firearm was recovered at the scene, along with 143 rounds of additional ammunition in his

possession. Based on his ticket purchase, Brown’s travels by bus began in Raleigh/Durham, N.C., with a

final destination to Chicago, Ill. He was in Richmond to change buses. Brown has an extensive criminalrecord in the state of Illinois, to include numerous illegal drug violations and violent crimes.

Trooper Dermyer was with 16 VSP troopers, special agents and supervisors participating in specialized

training on criminal interdiction practices. They had completed the classroom instruction and were

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8/18/2019 Trooper Killed Investigation

2/2

Virginia State Police www.vsp.virginia.gov Media Release 

Regional Media Contacts

Statewide(804)674-2789

Richmond(804)553-3494

Culpeper(540)829-7713

Appomattox(434)352-7128

Wytheville(276)228-3131

Chesapeake(757)424-6827

Salem/Roanoke(540)375-9598

Fairfax(804)674-2789

Find VSP on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaStatePolice 

conducting field practical operations at the time the shooting occurred. Trooper Dermyer’s encounter with

the male subject was part of the training. Trooper Dermyer was wearing the standard, dark-blue VSP

fatigue uniform, which displays his last name, a cloth badge, and the VSP shoulder patch.

Trooper Dermyer, 37, was transported to VCU Medical Center, where he died later Thursday afternoon. A

Jackson, Mich. native, he graduated from the Virginia State Police Academy November 2014 with the 122nd 

Basic Session. His served as the Basic Session’s class Vice President. His first  patrol assignment was to

the Chesapeake Division’s Area 46 Office, which encompasses the cities of Newport News and Hampton.

He had just recently transferred to the state police Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Interdiction Unit. Prior to

 joining the state police, Trooper Dermyer served with the City of Newport News Police Department and the

Jackson, Mich., Police Department. Trooper Dermyer also served our nation for four years with the U.S.

Marine Corps. He is survived by his wife and two young children.

The City of Richmond Police Department immediately responded to the scene to assist State Police with

securing the scene, interviewing witnesses and evidence collection. Additional law enforcement resources

from the FBI, ATF, US Department of Homeland Security, US Marshals Service, National Transportation

Safety Board, Henrico County Police, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force have also been

assisting with the ongoing investigation.

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