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Watch: Vigil held for Virginia State Police Special Agent fatally shot in Richmond

Posted at 8:51 PM, May 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-29 18:17:52-04

RICHMOND, Va. – After an overnight search, Virginia State Police have taken a man into custody who they say shot and killed a Virginia State Police Special Agent Friday evening.

State Police and U.S. Marshals apprehended Travis A. Ball, 27, of Richmond at a home in Northumberland County just after 6 a.m. Saturday.

The incident happened in a Richmond neighborhood.

State Police said Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael T. Walter died from his injuries Saturday morning.

There have been six homicides in the neighborhood the trooper was in this year alone.

Travis Ball

The suspect is described as a black male of medium build approximately 5’8 to 5’10 in height. He has close-cropped hair and was wearing a red, possibly plaid, button-up shirt with ¾ inch sleeves and khaki cargo shorts or pants.

At 7:30 p.m., a Richmond Police Officer and the State Police Special Agent saw a car pull up to the curb and park the wrong way in the 1900 block of Redd Street.

The Richmond Police Officer was in uniform and driving a marked Richmond Police SUV.

The officers walked up to the car and struck up a conversation with the driver as part of a consensual encounter. During the course of the encounter, the Special Agent was shot by the passenger in the car, who fled on foot, police said.

The Special Agent was transported to VCU Medical Center in Richmond, where he later died.

The driver of the car remained at the scene and was detained by Richmond Police.

Ball is being held without bond on arrest warrants for one count of malicious wounding, use of firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Additional charges are pending.

The incident remains under investigation at this time.