Published January 19th, 2025
A Richmond, Virginia urban park ranger was shot Sunday afternoon. At about 1:40 p.m. Sunday, the ranger encountered a man who appeared to be living in a wooded area of Belle Isle Park in Richmond. The park ranger talked to the man and advised him of local shelter options due to the extremely cold weather in the area. As the park ranger attempted to assist the man in standing up, the man produced a handgun from his clothing, shot the officer in the chest, and fled the area on foot. Richmond police responded to the ranger’s call for help and searched the area for the man but were unable to locate him.
The park ranger was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of what were described as “minor injuries,” because the ranger was struck in the ballistic-resistant vest he was wearing at the time of incident. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.
