Strasburg Police Shoot Woman Who Beat Him Up

Strasburg, Virginia — On December 17,2023, at around 11:00 p.m. the Shenandoah County Emergency Communication Center received a 911 call about a woman, 40-year-old Melissa Tompkins, allegedly acting erratically and damaging property at a Ramada by Wyndham hotel in Strasburg. Officer George Rathore responded to the 911 call and encountered Tompkins in the hotel parking lot. When ordered to stop, Tompkins fled, prompting Officer Rathore to chase her back to the parking area. Despite firing two Taser cartridges, Officer Rathore was unable to subdue Tompkins. She was seen grabbing and pulling one of the Taser wires, advancing towards the officer.

In the ensuing confrontation, Tompkins seized Officer Rathore’s police radio receiver, wrapping the cord around his neck. Officer Rathore, in his effort to defend himself, fell to the ground, reached for his baton, and swung at Tompkins’ leg. However, Tompkins managed to grab the baton and struck Officer Rathore in the head. The two separated briefly, with Officer Rathore then drawing his firearm. Despite his shouts of "Stop! I don’t want to shoot you," Tompkins stepped forward, prompting Officer Rathore to fire four rapid shots, hitting Tompkins in the chest. She collapsed onto the asphalt, initially moving slowly before lying still. In the chaotic moments that followed, Officer Rathore was heard shouting, "Why did you do that? Why did you do that," and calling for assistance.

Officer David Rhodes arrived and performed CPR on Tompkins for 6 1/2 minutes while waiting for emergency responders. Officer Bianca Hager also came to the scene to assist. Tompkins was taken to Winchester Medical Center and later died from her injuries. Surveillance footage from inside the hotel before Officer Rathore's arrival showed Tompkins ransacking offices and the front desk area, at times hiding under desks. She was seen pulling out a security monitor from the wall after spotting herself on it and walking in a hallway carrying a fire extinguisher. Eventually, she exited through a hallway window, leading to the fatal encounter in the parking lot.