VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — This past weekend's shooting that left two police officers dead is bringing back memories and feelings for other families who've lived through tragedy.
“I’m shocked like everybody else,” said Chris Amos, a retired officer who served nearly 30 years with the Norfolk Police Department. “It’s different departments, but one family.”
Amos, whose sons Seth and Jesse followed in his footsteps to become police officers, understands the pain of losing loved ones in law enforcement.
Watch previous coverage: Loved ones and Norfolk Police family remember Seth Amos, celebrating his life
Sadly, in 2018, Amos lost his son Seth to a sudden illness at the age of 30. Although the circumstances differ from the recent shooting, Amos can empathize with the grief now faced by the families of the two officers.
“It’s just really, really hard,” Amos said. “They will feel like at times that they just can’t go on, but somehow, someway, they will. They’ll look back, and maybe years down the road, they’ll be able to offer comfort and hope to the next family that has to go through this.”
The impact of the tragedy extends beyond the immediate families of the officers. Brian Luciano, president of the Virginia Beach Police Benevolent Association, expressed the collective heartache felt within the police community.
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“We’re heartbroken. You know, I mean, it’s never easy when you lose an officer, let alone two officers, especially officers who are so young,” Luciano said.
Both officers, Christopher Reese and Cameron Girvin, were members of the union.
Luciano said that the emotional scars from this incident “are going to stay with this police department for a very long time. When we say we'll never forget. That's not just a catchphrase."
Watch related coverage: Remembering local police officers who died in line of duty over past 25 years
Luciano’s priority in the wake of this tragedy is to support the officers and assist with funeral arrangements.
“We do everything that we can to prevent this, but it’s for our line of work—it's inevitable,” he said. “You hope it doesn’t happen to you... but you know every time you go to work that this is a possibility.”
Amos highlighted the critical role of community support during such trying times. “That’s the unique thing about law enforcement—you see it, and you have to process it really quick, and then you have to get back in the saddle and get back to work,” he said.
