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Judge orders mental health evaluation for off-duty James City County officer accused of shooting fellow officer

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) — A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for a James City County officer accused of shooting his fellow officer while the two were off-duty.

During his bond hearing Thursday, a judge gave 24-year-old Michael Trenton Rusk a $10,000 secured bond. He was also ordered to be let out of jail to move in with his parents on the stipulation that there are no firearms in the house and he has no access to firearms. Alcohol or illicit drugs are also part of the stipulations. Rusk is also ordered not to contact the victim.


Rusk is accused of shooting a fellow officer with the James City County Police in the overnight hours of January 24 in Williamsburg.

The victim, identified as Sergeant Christopher Gibson, was sent to Riverside Regional Medical Center with critical injuries following the shooting. He is expected to recover.

A special prosecutor during the bond hearing detailed the night of the shooting, stating that the two officers were drinking before the shooting occurred.

According to the prosecutor, Sergeant Gibson invited Rusk out to drink and the two returned to the parking lot after four and a half hours.

The two sat in the defendant’s vehicle for 45 minutes. They got out of the car, moved to the front and Rusk fired a shot that grazed the victim’s cheek. After that, they came to the side of the truck and Rusk shot the victim two more times. One shot was in the abdomen and one was in the shoulder.

Following the incident, James City County Police placed Rusk on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

10 On Your Side’s Julie Millet will have the latest updates regarding the shooting starting at 4 p.m. on WAVY-TV 10.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.