Page 5 - Aruba Today

U.S. NEWS A5
Monday 29 February 2016

Slain Virginia officer lauded for bravery, intelligence

and only the second time Paul Ebert, said he would
likely seek the death pen-
a county officer was slain alty against Hamilton, who
was being held without
maliciously, county officials bond on charges includ-
ing capital murder, first-de-
said. The county has 446,000 gree murder and malicious
wounding and was sched-
residents, and Woodbridge uled to be arraigned Mon-
day morning.
is one of many bedroom Guindon’s death was not
the first tragedy to strike her
communities popular with family. Her father, David,
killed himself the day after
federal workers, the military he returned home from
Iraq, where he served with
and others who commute the New Hampshire Air Na-
tional Guard. He was bur-
to Washington, 30 miles to ied with full military honors
on Aug. 26, 2004.
the north. “He came home and took
his own life,” Dorothy Guin-
“This department is re- don, Ashley’s grandmoth-
er, told The Associated
vered. It’s respected,” said Press.q

Corey Stewart, the Re-

Police surround a home Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, following a fatal publican chairman of the
shooting at the residence Saturday evening, in Woodbridge,
Va. Ronald Williams Hamilton is being held without bond in the county’s board of supervi-
Prince William County Adult Detention Center on charges that
include murder of a law enforcement officer. sors. “She was an example

(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) of the kind of person that

the department hires and

BEN NUCKOLS rival, and the three officers the quality of the men and

Associated Press were shot just after they ar- women who work for the

WOODBRIDGE, Va. (AP) — rived at his front door, he department.”

On her first day on the job, said. The county’s longtime

Officer Ashley Guindon As quickly as the violence chief prosecutor, Com-

responded to a call that began, it was over, Hudson monwealth’s Attorney

could have become rou- said, with Hamilton emerg-

tine, had she gone on to a ing from his front door to

long career in law enforce- surrender as additional of-

ment: a domestic distur- ficers arrived. The couple’s

bance in a well-kept subur- 11-year-old son was home

ban neighborhood. at the time of the slayings

But something had already and is being cared for by

gone terribly wrong inside relatives, Hudson said.

the northern Virginia home Guindon, 28, died at a hos-

of Army Sgt. Ronald Ham- pital, where the two other

ilton, police said Sunday, injured officers — Jesse

and Guindon’s brief time Hempen, 31, and David

with the Prince William McKeown, 33 — were be-

County police department ing treated on Sunday. Po-

came to a horrific end. lice did not detail their inju-

Hamilton opened fire on ries. Hudson said their lives

Guindon and two of her fel- were no longer in danger

low officers, killing her and but they faced long recov-

leaving the others seriously eries.

wounded, Police Chief Guindon, a former Marine

Stephan Hudson said. Corps reservist who had a

Standing next to the master’s degree in forensic

county’s top elected offi- science,

cial and chief prosecutor, went through training with

Hudson was stone-faced the department last year

at a news conference on but left for personal rea-

Sunday as he lauded Guin- sons, Hudson said. She re-

don’s bravery, intelligence joined the department this

and compassion. The chief year and was sworn in on

offered no details about Friday, which the depart-

what might have provoked ment marked with a cel-

the gunman, who worked ebratory tweet.

at the Pentagon and, ac- “We were struck by her

cording to neighbors, was passion to do this job,”

about to be transferred to Hudson said. “She did

Italy. share with us when we re-

The fight Saturday after- hired her that she felt like

noon between Hamilton, she wanted to do this job.

32, and his wife, Crystal She couldn’t get it out of

Hamilton, 29, had been her blood. She clearly had

ongoing throughout the a passion to serve others in

day, but it escalated af- a way that went beyond

ter she called 911, Hudson herself.”

said. Hamilton fatally shot Her line-of-duty death was

his wife between her call to the fourth in the 46-year

police and the officer’s ar- history of the department,