OCEAN CITY, MD - The Ocean City Police Department has announced the deaths of two former seasonal officers in separate shootings in Virginia and Pennsylvania over the weekend.
On Friday, February 21, Virginia Beach Police officers Cameron Girvin and Christopher Reese conducted a traffic stop at about 11:30 p.m., according to OCPD. Authorities say a struggle with the driver began that resulted in the suspect fatally shooting both Girvin and Reese. Ocean City Police say Girvin began his law enforcement career in 2018 as a public safety aide assigned to the evening boardwalk shift in Ocean City. Girvin joined the Virginia Beach Police Department in 2020.
On Saturday, February 22, West York Borough Police in York County, Pennsylvania responded to an active shooter incident at UPMC Memorial Hospital. While responding to the incident, Andrew Duarte was fatally shot while two other officers were wounded. Duarte also began his career in Ocean City as a seasonal officer in 2016. He then went on to serve five years with the Denver Police Department before moving to the West York Borough Police Department in 2022.
"Losing one of our own, no matter where they served, is a profound reminder of the risks we take and the bond we share," Interim Ocean City Police Chief Michael Colbert said.
In a statement on social media Sunday, OCPD emphasized the lasting ties their seasonal officer program established between officers and the community and its ability to jump-start law enforcement careers.
“We stand by the Virginia Beach and York County communities as we all grieve and process these losses,” OCPD said in their post. “Our hearts go out to the families of officers Cameron Girvin, Christopher Reese, and Andrew Duarte. Their bravery is a true testament to their dedication to keeping their respective communities safe. The Ocean City Police Department is proud and honored to have worked alongside Officers Girvin and Duarte.”