Home Pittsylvania County: Suspect dead after pursuit, shootout with State Police trooper
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Pittsylvania County: Suspect dead after pursuit, shootout with State Police trooper

Crystal Graham
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A Virginia man is dead after a shootout with a State Police trooper following a pursuit on Route 29 in Pittsylvania County early Monday morning.

Jacob Wesley Adkins, 25, of Hurt, died at the scene from a gunshot wound sustained in the incident.

The Virginia State Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s field office in Salem is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

The incident occurred at 12:31 a.m. after a Be On The Lookout order was issued following an earlier pursuit with the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office where Adkins was allegedly able to evade the deputy. The reason for the initial traffic stop has not been released.

The Virginia State Police trooper located the suspect vehicle on U.S. 29 north. When Adkins failed to stop, the trooper used a precision immobilization technique to disable the vehicle on Deerview Road.

Adkins allegedly produced a rifle and fired on the trooper, according to a report from the VSP. The trooper returned fire, striking the suspect.

The trooper sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was transported to Central Gretna Medical Center.

Online court records show Adkins faced numerous charges dating back to 2018. The charges include brandishing a firearm, assault and battery, child abuse, reckless driving, forgery, grand larceny, methamphetamine possession and more.

The findings of the investigation will be turned over to the Pittsylvania Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for review.

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Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, Crystal Graham has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of "Virginia Tonight," a nightly TV news show, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at [email protected]