Virginia residents John Painter And JJ Jefferson were campus officers who lost their lives to a school shooter.
The latest case of a mass school shooting rattled the small town of Harrisonburg on Tuesday. The combined effort of two men, John Painter And JJ Jefferson, saved the school of two thousand people to return to their homes unscathed.
As a testament to their heroic deed, the flags flown over the federal building inside the state of Virginia will get lowered on Wednesday at sunrise.
The flag will remain for the entire day so that every resident would remember the lives lost in the first tragedy that struck Bridgewater college.
Gov. Youngkin orders U.S. and Virginia flags to be flown at half-staff at all public buildings in memory of the two officers killed today at Bridgewater College. @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/1vLpmyf7sW
— Julie Carey (@JulieCareyNBC) February 2, 2022
School Shooting | Who Are John Painter And JJ Jefferson?
Bridgewater citizens John Painter And JJ Jefferson were officers on active duty who lost their lives while engaging in a school shooting. They were both working in the Bridgewater College, near Harrisonburg, Virginia.
John Painter was a police officer working at the campus, while his partner JJ Jefferson was a safety officer.
We remember these brave officers who gave their lives today protecting students, faculty and staff at Bridgewater College in #VA https://t.co/biJFQfvEXZ
— The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus (@KeepGunsoffCamp) February 2, 2022
The duo were partners in crime and shared a beautiful friendship. Moreover, Painter was even the best man at Jefferson’s wedding.
Indeed, their heroic deed will forever remain in the hearts of the lives that they saved. They were well-loved members of the faculty and spent their last breaths doing their duty.
What Happened To John Painter And JJ Jefferson?
At one in the afternoon, the college sent the red alert to move to a safer place an active shooter was roaming the premises. The city dispatched the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, Harrisonburg Police Department, State police along with other federal agencies.
A Bridgewater College campus law enforcement officer and campus safety officer were shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in Bridgewater, VA.
The BHPD extends our heartfelt condolences to the officers families, friends, and the Bridgewater’s Campus Police and Safety Department. pic.twitter.com/jAhWi22UVV
— Berwyn Heights Department of Police (@BHPDNews) February 2, 2022
Initial reports said two people, John Painter And JJ Jefferson, got in the way of the bullet as the suspect got away.
Locals aided in capturing the assailant as Ecliff Graves saw the shooter run towards the North River and alerted the authorities.
Finally, after an hour of the incident, he was caught off-campus wearing a covering on their head.
What Shot John Painter And JJ Jefferson?
The lives of John Painter And JJ Jefferson got comprised while persuing a vigilante who caused chaos in their workplace. Keeping in mind the gravity of the situation, the police department has named him 27-year-old Alexander Wyatt Campbell.
A Bridgewater College campus law enforcement officer and campus safety officer were shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in Bridgewater, VA.
The BHPD extends our heartfelt condolences to the officers families, friends, and the Bridgewater’s Campus Police and Safety Department. pic.twitter.com/jAhWi22UVV
— Berwyn Heights Department of Police (@BHPDNews) February 2, 2022
After the occurrence, the school remains on lockdown for hours.
In an email released by president David Bushman, he elaborated that he got saddened by the recent turn of events. He admitted that words are not enough to express that grief, the anger, and the fear that they felt.