~ PVN staff report
STANLEY, March 3 — A few hours before more than 200 people gathered at the Luray VFW for a candlelight vigil on Tuesday evening to remember the life of Stanley Police Officer Dominic “Nick” Winum, the Virginia State Police released a report on the Feb. 26 incident that took his life.
Doug Gochenour, chaplain of the Stanley PD, delivered a one-hour address to a large crowd huddled in front of the Luray VFW Post in 34-degree weather on Tuesday evening. He quoted scripture, sang songs and spoke of how the life of Officer Winum had touched many in the Stanley community, Page County and beyond — not only as a law enforcement officer, but as an everyday person as well.
Gochenour offered prayers for the family of the fallen officer, but also for the family of the shooter, Dakota G. Richards.
The state police report issued late Tuesday afternoon indicates that Richards had been identified as “a suspicious person with a gun,” but there is no indication of what prompted the fatal attack during a traffic stop on Judy Lane last Friday.
The state police report reads as follows:
The investigations into the fatal shootings that occurred Friday (Feb. 26) in the Town of Stanley remains ongoing by the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Culpeper Field Office.
Town of Stanley Police Officer D.J. “Nick” Winum observed a 2002 Honda Civic that matched the description of a Be On the Lookout issued for a suspicious person with a gun. At approximately 3:15 p.m., Officer Winum activated his marked patrol vehicle’s emergency equipment to initiate a traffic stop. The Honda Civic pulled over in the 600 block of Judy Lane.
Before the officer could exit his patrol vehicle, the driver, Dakota G. Richards, got out of his vehicle and began shooting at Officer Winum’s vehicle. Officer Winum succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Richards, 29, of Stanley, Va., fled into the nearby woods on foot. A handgun was recovered from Richards’ vehicle.
Law enforcement personnel responded to the scene and assisted with tracking Richards. He was later located hiding out in a barn in the 700 block of Marksville Road. There, Richards made a threatening movement and was shot by Page County Sheriff’s Deputies. Richards succumbed to his injuries at the scene. A Smith & Wesson M&P-15 rifle was recovered in his possession.
No additional law enforcement were injured.
Once state police completes the officer-involved shooting, the criminal investigative files will be turned over to the Commonwealth’s Attorney for final review and adjudication.
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As an LEO wife, I would not want my husband’s face plastered in any articles in relation to the tragedy from Friday or any other day. We live in a world where people “hate” officers, want them defunded, and put a target on them. Their faces are now being seen and can easily turn them into the next target. I’d recommend removing the photo, and possibly the entire article out of respect to the officers and their families.
And Dakota is my family and none of y’all knew what he was going threw . So before everyone goes and talks bad on him just because of the last thing he did was bad the first 29 years of his life he was a amazing person who would help anyone in need . I’m sorry for what happend to both Dakota and the officer but everyone that is talking bad y’all know y’all have secrets you don’t want to tell either . I lost my cousin to him makeing a threading movement when he had no bullets in his gun Stanley police don’t give a chance they think they something because of a badge I have no respect for none of them except nick . Now for everything I said I stand on . Rest In Peace Dakota g Richards . And officer nick .
I suppose there were no bullets left in his gun after he emptied them into Officer Winum and his police vehicle. I hope your cousin packed his suitcase for boiling hot temperatures, because I can assure you he is burning in hell where he belongs. If he had so many secrets and mental issues, he should’ve done the world a favor and used his weapon on himself.
youre making excuses and justifying your cousins action of gunning down someone just for doing their job??? as already stated your cousin can slow roast in hell for murdering this officer