25-02-2025
Community steps up in support of fallen VB officers' families
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Beach community has stepped up to support the families of two Virginia Beach Police officers who were killed in the line of duty Friday night.
Two VBPD officers killed in the line of duty Friday night
Officers Cameron Girvin, 25, and Christopher Reese, 30, died after both were shot during a traffic stop.
'It brought back a lot of bad memories,' said former Virginia Beach Police Chief Jake Jacocks, who now heads the Virginia Beach Police Foundation, now the center for donations for the tragedy that has befallen our community. 'I lost two officers during my tenure as chief, and it's a life changing experience for everyone that goes through it.'
One of the first donations was a pledge of $50,000 from TowneBank.
'I presented funds to one of the families yesterday and told her this was the initial contribution to them to help with those immediate, unexpected needs they may face,' Jacocks said. 'I also told them it wasn't the end, and that there was more where that came from, and encouraged her to reach out as funds were needed and we were in a position to help.'
'Evil found them, it was totally evil,' Virginia Beach Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson said, but says the community's core of caring is far and wide. 'In honor of these two heroes, and on the day of the service, all the flags will be at half staff, and Congresswoman [Jen] Kiggans is also going to have a flag flown over our U.S. Capitol building in their honor.'
John Zirkle with the Virginia Beach Hotel Association said it is providing free rooms for family and friends.
'Any families coming in from out of town, friends of the officers, we are more than happy to help them,' Zirkle said. 'They have enough going on that they don't have to pay for hotel rooms.'
Martha Davenport, executive director of the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, said that 'we reached out to our restaurant association, and in the first three hours we were able to cover the three shifts at each precinct to include the detective bureau.'
Fifteen restaurants answered the call.
GoFundMe pages have also been set up for both Girvin and Reese.
'I just want to make sure the information about the GoFundMe pages gets out. They are important.'
Said Wilson: 'The devastation to these families, is felt by our law enforcement and public safety community and our city community.'
Girvin was to be a dad later this year, and Christopher Reese their families assured a community stands with them.
Jacocks, who lost two officers during his tenure as chief, reminded the families support will continue.
Said Zirkle: 'Virginia Beach is a hospitality community. This is a community that comes together and understands there is a time and place for everything, and now is the right time to make sure we take care of our own.'
To order restaurant gift certificates for the families, you can go here.
'Click on the gift cards,' Zirkle said. 'They can purchase those gift cards when online or [they can] go to the restaurant in person, and they can drop them off at our office.'
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