Chief reports double homicide at Exit 7 motel while officers fired upon with dozens of bullets

Bristol Virginia Chief of Police Byron Ashbrook said two people are dead as a result of a shooting at Extended Stay America Suites in the Exit 7 area off Interstate 81.

The chief said in a Sunday morning press conference that officers were called to the venue located off of Old Airport Road. While staking out a room on the bottom floor and trying to negotiate with the suspect identified as Antoine Alonzo Megginson, the victims of the double homicide were found in the motel’s parking lot.

Megginson then began firing dozens of rounds at officers in sporadic periods who arrived on the scene and managed to stay clear of gunfire, including from the city’s and Washington County, Virginia’s SWAT team as well as the Virginia State Police.

Those officers used their vehicles as shields as they returned fire, according to the chief, with an estimated 30 to 40 rounds of ammunition used on the policemen by Megginson.

An armored critical incident unit was then brought in to ram through the motel room’s door and after hours of negotiations, Megginson surrendered without incident is currently charged with attempted murder of a police officer with further charges pending, according to Ashbrook who noted personnel with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office were on the scene as well.

“The businesses around the motel (Cheddar’s and Bojangles) were gracious enough to allow police and fire personnel use their parking areas for staging,” the chief said. “This could have been a whole lot worse for our officers out there in front, but unfortunately, we have two victims.”

(IMAGE: L. Grant, Bristol Broadcasting Company News)