Officer Andre Gerard Booker

Andre Gerard Booker

Officer Andre Booker drowned after his patrol car sank in a 30-feet deep retention pond at the Creeks at Virginia Centre shopping center in the 9900 block of Brook Road.

He and other officers had responded to a shopping center at approximately 2:00 am to investigate reports of gunfire. Officer Booker was reversing his patrol car to block a roadway when it crashed through a small fence and plunged into the 34-degree water. The other six officers at the scene jumped into the water and tried to rescue him, but were unable to pull him out. Police dive team members were able to remove him about 80 minutes later. He was taken to MCV Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The suspect that the officers were attempting to stop was charged with second degree murder and several other felonies. He was acquitted of the murder charge, but convicted of cocaine possession and possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance, both felonies. In addition, he plead guilty to discharging a firearm in public and reckless handling of a firearm, both misdemeanors, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a felony. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Officer Booker had served with the Henrico County Police Department for two years. He is survived by his parents.