Three dead, including Covington Police officer, after shooting at gas station

COVINGTON, Va. (WDBJ) - Three people are dead, including a City of Covington Police Officer and the shooter, after an incident at Covington Farm & Fuel, according to Virginia State Police.

The domestic incident started inside the business and moved outside, where the officer was shot.

Police say around 4:30 p.m. Monday, Toney S. Poulston Jr., 42 of Covington, went into the store, leading to an altercation with a relative who worked there, Randall Lee Paxton, 64 of Covington.

The incident escalated into Poulston shooting Paxton, according to police. The City of Covington Police and Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office responded to an alert of Poulston’s “erratic and escalating actions in the building,” according to police.

When officers and deputies arrived, they were met with Poulston, who was armed with a pistol and leaving the store, according to police. Shots were fired, leading to the death of Poulston and a City of Covington Police Officer.

The families of all victims have been notified. The name of the officer has not been released by state police or the city of Covington.

After the scene was secured, investigators found Paxton dead inside as a result of a gunshot wound.

A woman inside the store but was not injured. She is also an employee of the business, married to Paxton and related to Poulston.

All three bodies were scheduled to be taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke for examination and autopsy.

No other employees and no customers were injured. No additional law enforcement officers were injured.

“At the request of City of Covington Police Chief Christopher J. Smith, the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office is investigating the line of duty death of his police officer and of Mr. Paxton. At the request of Chief Smith and Alleghany County Sheriff Kevin W. Hall, the VSP BCI Salem Field Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting.”

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