Man dead and two officers on administrative leave following shooting (Wednesday update)

By Carrie J. Sidener
Media Genewral News Service
Published: May 14, 2008

A man is dead and two Altavista police officers are on administrative leave following a shooting at an Altavista home Monday night.

The two officers fatally shot Michael Long, 57, of Hurt, after he pointed a gun at them, said Chief Thomas Neal in a news release.

The officers responded to 1524A Main St. for a report of shots fired around 8:39 p.m.

When they arrived, Long confronted them with a shotgun, the release said. The officers ordered him to drop the weapon several times. He turned and pointed the shotgun at them, and both officers fired.

Also injured was a 17-year-old woman. She was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Virginia State Police have been called in to investigate the circumstances leading to the fatal shooting, said Sgt. David Cooper. Both officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

“This is domestic-related,” Cooper said. “The deceased was related to several occupants in the trailer.”

Cooper said the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s injuries are under investigation.

Altavista’s Police Chief Thomas Neal said he will not comment any further at this time.

Corey Kidd, 18, said he was in the home at the time of the shooting. He said his grandparents live there, and the 17-year-old injured Monday night is his girlfriend.

Kidd, who was interviewed by WSLS outside the house Tuesday morning, said he ran from the home and called 911 after Long showed up with what Kidd described as a 12-gauge shotgun. He said he knew Long, his girlfriend’s father, and said his behavior was completely out of character.

Kidd said that after the two officers arrived, they yelled for Long to drop the gun at least three times.

Neighbor Elizabeth Lee found three bullet holes along the hallway of her house, and one went all the way through and into her bedroom. She was in the living room when the shooting happened.

“I just heard what felt like an explosion in my trailer,” Lee said on Tuesday. “That’s what I heard. Then I heard screaming down there, call 911, and then someone just screaming, my daddy, my daddy. It scared me to death.”

Sidener is a staff writer for The News & Advance in Lynchburg.

Aimee Norton of WSLS Newschannel 10 contributed.