Another violent death in Floyd County
The life of Vincent James Lumia, a 33-year-old Patrick County massage therapist, aspiring actor and filmmaker, came to a violent end Monday night at his mother’s home on Eanes Road near Check in Floyd County.
According to State Police reports, Lumia drove a Ford Explorer which rammed two police cruisers after sheriff’s deputies and a veteran state trooper responded to a domestic disturbance call. The trooper fired at the Explorer. Lumia died.
Another shooting death in a county where such violence used to be a rare occurance. In the last seven months, a county man has died from gunshot wounds in a drug deal gone bad, another from shots fired from the weapon of the county’s animal control officer.
When you use a vehicle to ram police vehicles and try to run down a police officer, you are asking to die/ But what has spurred this onslaught of violence in recent months? Is it an outgrowth of a nation under stress? Drugs? Mental instability?
We won’t know the details on how and why V.J. Lumia died until the investigation is complete. From the preliminary reports, it appears the State Trooper, indentified only as a "27-year-veteran of the department" was justified in opening fire.
But three violent deaths by gunfire in seven months in a county where gunshot wounds are normally the result of hunting accidents seems to defy the odds.
What the hell is going on?
I do not blame him. I only want him to think before he writes. I know his job is to report the news no matter who or what. The way you write a head line and the story is what I am talking about. The truth is there is no one to blame. This too was a tragic accident…
What happened was a tragic accident, there is no one to blame. But the way you write stories, hurts our family.My brother Bucky and Mr. Belcher were victims of a Tradgic accident, that took the life of Mr. Belcher.We are so sorry that he lost his life, and the family lost a beloved member. As I already said they were both victims of a bad accident.If we could only change the past, or see into the future, but no one has that ability……….
All I know for sure is 3 people lost their lives in three very differene ways.No matter who they were or how they died.That is the point 3 people died and everybpdy involved suffers also…Remember that when you sway your stories the way you wont to, suit yourself because you are living off other peoples tradgies.
Ramona:
A piece of each of us dies inside when we hear about the death of others. A senseless death affects us even more. Whether it is a high school student who, for some reason, pulls out in front of an oncoming emergency vehicle, a neigbor who dies in a horrible accident or a young man who forces police into an untenable situation: A violent end to one’s life is a tragedy that affects many people.
I’m sure the state trooper who had never had to take a life in his 27-years on the force is as devastated as your family member whose actions caused the accidental death of a bystander. No one here is "living off other peoples’ tragedies." We are discussing a series of tragedies that have simply become more commonplace in our county than in years past and trying to make sense of what has happened.
This is a site that reports and comments on news that affects our home — both bad and good. I write and photograph far more good news stories about music, sports and a lifetstyle that makes living in Floyd County so special. Unfortunately, tragic events also affect all of our lives. I have lost loved ones as a result of tragic, senseless acts and I have witnessed, and participated in, death in too many places over the years. Death affects me as deeply today as it did when I first dealt with it more than 40 years ago.
I’m sorry for what you family is going through. If I could ignore it I would. But I’m afraid I cannot. I’m sorry.
Ramona, I can understand your frustration in seeing Bucky’s name brought up so often over the last few months but I think you are wrong to blame Doug for the problem.
Doug Thompson did not pull the trigger of the gun that fired the bullet that killed Paul Belcher.
Doug Thompson did not present the case to the grand jury.
Doug Thompson did not indict Bucky for involuntary manslaughter and reckless use of a firearm.
Doug Thompson did not fire him from his job as animal control officer.
We can’t control the news to suit our own tastes or our desires to protect our families. There are times when we all would very much like to. I’ve had family members involved in trouble and I cringed when I saw their names in the paper.
I hope the jury clears Bucky when he goes to trial next month but I know that whatever happens it will be reported here, in the Floyd Press, in the Roanoke Times and by the television stations. When I search on Google, I find that the story has garnered national attention.
I read this web site because of the author’s photography and ability to get inside our community. Sometimes, the news is bad. More often it is good.
Don’t blame the messenger. He had no control over what happened.
What?
Fred I agree. The liberal views and philosophy has caused the feeling that murder is ok. There is no self responsibility. We need to revert to the past and have more corporal punishment, instead of “counseling” and smack on the wrist. America has declined since the 60’s wake up America!!!
Well, I’m thinking Fred’s response makes Henry’s seem quite correct.
People are stressed… even rats behave strangely when under excessive stress.
I feel for the parents that asked for help, and then watched their son die in their yard by a policeman’s bullet. There may have been another way, we’ll never know.
Floyd had a shooting, happened ~10 years ago, where a woman was killed through her door by a shot intended for an armed man behaving badly in her house. She died in front of her family as well.
Practice self control, at least practice marksmanship, it is a form of gun control.
Enough said.
What a tragedy for everyone involved. I do agree that GOD being removed from almost everything is the reason we are in such a mess. But those of us who are Christians can make a difference but are we to lazy?? I don’t have a problem making my faith known but I do realized there is more we as Christians should be doing. Example: getting prayer back in school. But we must realize from what “little” we have heard about this situation this officer was protecting himself and the other officers. I am very thankful for the protection we have in this county. I just hope this doesn’t turn into “who can we blame” for this tragedy.
Well we have taken GOD out of everything. The world is going to hell. No morals. Thanks to everyone of you for shoving your point of view down our throats everytime we turn on the TV and read the newspapers. When we speak out against it we are racist or biggots. Our shall we say narrow minded. So when you look in the mirror. You are to blame.
Gods people try to shove the whole religion thing down everyones throat.
The mental instability option seems to be the obvious answer.
When you use the removal of God as reason for explaining violent, immoral, or otherwise undesirable behavior, it is an ignorant and self-defeating argument. It presupposes that a person only displays moral behavior because they fear retribution from a higher power beyond their control or even beyond their full understanding. Would you self-titled Christians, in lieu of any God to mete out punishment, simply default to the lowest level of morality- or do you have it in yourselves to think and act like decent people of your own free will? I should hope that you do.
That being said, my answer to Doug’s question is simply that Life is going on, and in Life we all experience stress, drugs, and mental instability either directly or indirectly. We experience many things, some good some bad, but regardless many are inescapable and at certain times the pressure is greater than at others. This is just how it is, how it always has been, and how it will continue to be. So don’t seek excuses on the premise of an invisible deity, instead try assuming some personal responsibility because in the end that is really the most tangible thing you’ve got.