Radford University officials said in a statement that Ashley was enrolled part-time as a business management major, but declined further comment.
Exactly what led to the string of violence remains unclear, but police have said they think Ashley acted alone. They are working to piece together his movements in the hours before the shooting, which occurred just after noon Thursday in the university’s coliseum parking lot. Crouse had just pulled over a driver in an unrelated incident.
Police said Ashley, dressed in a maroon hoodie and gray hat, walked up to Crouse’s cruiser and opened fire. Crouse, who also is an Army reservist who served in Iraq, left a wife and five children and step-children.
“Motive is very much a fundamental part of this investigation,” said Corinne Geller, a spokeswoman for the Virginia State police.
Ashley appears to have graduated from Spotsylvania High School in 2007 and was a running back on the football team. He won numerous academic awards, according to published reports at that time.
He also appears to have started his academic career at the University of Virginia’s Wise County campus, where he made dean’s list in 2008, according to online records.
“He was a good kid,” said Barry Perry, who knew Ashley when he was an athlete at Spotsylvania High. “An average kid. Somebody that seemed to be a good member of the community.”
Perry said “I can’t believe he’d be involved in anything like that.” He called Ashley “a heck of an athlete . . .good player”
At a news conference Friday morning, authorities offered a fresh account of the chaotic events that brought the campus to a standstill for several hours and grabbed national headlines.
Around 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Crouse was on patrol in the stadium parking lot, when he pulled over a Tech student, Geller said. As Crouse sat in his vehicle, Geller said the suspect approached and shot him. Crouse was not able to return fire, but the suspect’s image was captured by a dashboard video camera in his car.
The shooter then ran. Police said the student that Crouse had pulled over has no connection to the shooter and has been helpful during the investigation.
Next, the shooter ran to a set of nearby greenhouses, where he changed his clothes, Geller said. He left behind a pullover and a wool cap stashed in a backpack, which police later discovered.
Loading...
Comments