Police Officer Ashley Guindon murdered on patrol in VA a day after tweet welcomes her to the force
Below is the tweet the Prince William County Police Department sent out at 5:40 Friday evening announcing that Officer Ashley Guindon was just sworn in and would be out on patrol this weekend. The tweet encouraged Officer Guindon and another officer to “Be safe!”
Further below is the tweet the department sent out about Officer Guindon a little more than 29 hours later. It said she had been shot and killed during a domestic call that also wounded two other officers.
Welcome Officers Steven Kendall & Ashley Guindon who were sworn in today & begin their shifts this weekend.Be safe! pic.twitter.com/92c2YLjcQx
— Prince William Co PD (@PWCPoliceDept) February 26, 2016
PWCPD Ofc Ashley Guindon has died as a result of her injuries sustained during the incident on Lashmere Ct. We ask for thoughts and prayers.
— Prince William Co PD (@PWCPoliceDept) February 28, 2016
Martin Weil, Clarence Williams & Victoria St. Martin, The Washington Post:
Guindon was identified in reference material as a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., who held a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics. She served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and had relatives in law enforcement.
Online information indicated that she graduated from Merrimack high school in New Hampshire in 2005, and had held a license to fly historical aircraft. A source familiar with her Marine Corps service said she held the rank of corporal and was assigned to a unit at Bolling Air Force Base involved with sending home the remains of fallen Marines.
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The conditions of the other two officers who were hurt were not immediately released; they are being treated at Inova Fairfax hospital.
Police said that the shooter surrendered to police and is in custody.
The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. in the 13000 block of Lashmere Court in Woodbridge, Virginia. Neighbors reported hearing several rapid gunshots ring out as young people played outside.
“We heard three to four gunshots, so we started running, and then when we got up here we saw all the cops,” said one young witness, who asked not to be identified. “They told us to go inside.”
The suspect has not been identified, but the Associated Press reported that he is a military serviceman.
Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert says he has authorized a capital murder charge, along with other counts, against the suspect. Virginia law allows for the death penalty for the murder of a police officer.
Ebert said the suspect will make his first court appearance on Monday.
Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Saturday night that a woman was killed in the dispute, but police did not confirm that.
RIP Officer Guindon so tragic and awful
Posted by Brent Schnupp on Saturday, February 27, 2016
