Man wanted for police officer shooting shot and killed in Morgantown, W.Va.

BLUEFIELD, Va. – The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Charleston, W.Va. confirmed Thursday (March 7, 2019) the identity of the individual shot and killed in Morgantown, W.Va., as Donquale “DJ” M. Gray, 24, of Bluefield, W.Va. Gray was wanted for shooting a Bluefield, Va. Police Officer during a traffic stop on the evening of Feb. 16, 2019.

The Morgantown Police Department issued the following details about Wednesday’s shooting incident in a press release: “At approximately 12:19 p.m. on March 6, 2019, officers of the Morgantown Police Department responded to a report of shots fired and an armed fugitive in the area of Falling Run Road and College Avenue. Members of the U.S. Marshalls Service were attempting to locate and apprehend a suspected armed fugitive in the area of College Avenue. The suspected fugitive attempted to flee from the Marshalls and was armed with a handgun. During a foot pursuit, the suspect fired the handgun and at least one member of the U.S. Marshalls Service returned fire. The suspect was found deceased at the scene.”

The Virginia State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, West Virginia State Police and various local law enforcement had been searching for Gray since the Feb. 16, 2019 shooting that left a 29-year-old Bluefield, Va. Police Officer seriously injured.  The U.S. Marshals Service was following up on a lead when they located Gray at the Morgantown residence Wednesday (March 6, 2019).

“Since the night that I received the call that one of our officers had been shot and injured, not a waking moment has passed that I haven’t hoped and prayed that the individual that attempted to kill one of our own would be found and apprehended without another law enforcement officer or civilian being hurt in the process,” said Bluefield, Va. Police Chief M. Shane Gunter.  “Due to the relentless work and dedication of many law enforcement agencies, the hunt for the attempted murderer has ended as I had hoped and prayed – without injury to another officer or innocent citizen.  Through all of this I am most thankful that our officer who was shot survived this cowardly act perpetrated against him and that he is recovering.  On behalf of our injured officer and our department, I want to commend the work of the lead law enforcement agencies – the U.S. Marshals Service and Virginia State Police as well as the many other law enforcement agencies – that dedicated officers and resources to track down this fugitive.”

The Feb. 16, 2019 incident began at approximately 11:45 p.m. when a Bluefield, Va. Police Officer initiated a traffic stop on a 2008 Toyota Yaris for an equipment violation. The Toyota, which had been traveling east on Route 460, pulled off to the shoulder near Exit 3 (which is within the town limits of Bluefield, Va.).

Seated inside the Toyota was an adult male driver and Gray, the front-seat passenger. During the course of the traffic stop, Gray began shooting at and wounded the Bluefield, Va. Police Officer as the officer was standing outside the vehicle on the driver’s side.

The Bluefield, Va. Officer and a second Bluefield, Va. Officer, who had responded to assist with the traffic stop, returned fire. The Toyota’s driver got out of the vehicle and surrendered. Gray got into the driver’s seat and drove off.

The Toyota was found abandoned a few hours later in Bluefield, W.Va.

The wounded police officer was transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of serious, but non-life threatening, injuries. Since his release from the hospital, he continues to recover from the injuries sustained in the shooting.

The driver of the vehicle was cited for a traffic violation and released. He was not injured in the shooting. Nor was the other Bluefield, Va. Police Officer at the scene.

Gray was wanted on one felony count of attempted capital murder of a law enforcement officer.