RICHMOND, Va. (WVEC) -- Virginia State Police (VSP) said Monday that funeral arrangements were finalized for a special agent who was killed in the line of duty.
Special Agent Michael T. Walter with VSP died Saturday after he was shot Friday night in Richmond.
Investigators said the shooting happened just before 7:30 p.m. on May 26 in the Mosby Court neighborhood.
Walter was working with a Richmond police officer when they noticed a car parked the wrong way on Redd Street. They approached the car and started talking with the driver.
As the Richmond police officer was talking with the driver, Walter approached the passenger side where 27-year-old Travis A. Ball, was seated. Within moments, there was a single gunshot and police said Ball ran from the car.
The Richmond officer, who was not hurt, immediately called for medical assistance and hurried to help Walter.
The driver of the car remained at the scene and was taken into custody. A handgun was recovered at the scene.
In the hours after the shooting, law enforcement personnel from the Virginia State Police, Richmond Police, Henrico County Police, Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, US Marshals Service, DEA and ATF conducted a widespread search effort throughout the Metro-Richmond region for Ball.
State Police and U.S. Marshals found and arrested Ball at a home in Northumberland County shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday and took him into custody.
He is being held without bond on charges of Malicious Wounding, Use of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Additional charges are pending.
State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said the officers "were just having a conversation with the individuals when the state police special agent was shot."
Walter was taken to VCU Medical Center, where he died shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday.
The Powhatan County resident is survived by his wife, Jaime, and two sons and a daughter, ages 14, 9, and 6.
Visitation with Walter's family will take place at Powhatan High School on Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The school is located at 1800 Judes Ferry Road in Powhatan.
Walter's funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. at the school. A reception will follow for all those who attend the service.
Interment will be private.
Virginia State Police said many people asked about making donations to Walter's family. Anyone who wishes to contribute can do so through the Virginia State Police Association's Emergency Relief Fund.
Governor Terry McAuliffe issued the following statement on Saturday morning:
Dorothy and I are deeply saddened by the loss of Virginia State Police Special Agent Mike Walter, and we are heartbroken for his wife and children. Special Agent Walter was one of our brave men and women in uniform who risk their lives every single day to protect their fellow Virginians. We will be forever grateful for his service and sacrifice.
“As the community grieves, I ask my fellow Virginians to join me in praying for Mike's family, friends, and fellow troopers who are suffering from this sudden loss. No words can heal their pain, but we can all honor Mike's memory by showing gratitude to those who protect and serve every day.”
Richmond police said the area where the shooting happened is one of the most violent neighborhoods in the city. Nineteen people have been shot there this year, alone.
The last member of the Virginia State Police to die in the line of duty was Trooper Chad Dermyer, who was shot and killed at a Richmond Greyhound bus terminal in March 2016.
VSP & @RichmondPolice embraced by #RVA leaders & #Virginia legislators in impromptu prayer vigil Saturday in #Mosby Court. #Thankful pic.twitter.com/uWeXj85KdB
— VA State Police (@VSPPIO) May 27, 2017
Virginia State Police released the following on Special Agent Walter's career:
Special Agent Walter, 45, was born in Philadelphia, Penn., and graduated Schalick High School in Elmer, N.J. He was a decorated veteran during his service with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) from 1989 to 1994. Prior to joining the Virginia State Police in 1998, he also worked as a security officer at MCV Hospital and then served two years as an officer with the Virginia Division of Capitol Police.He entered the Virginia State Police Academy in 1998 and graduated as a member of the 98th Basic Session in May 21, 1999. His first patrol assignment upon graduation was in the Virginia State Police Fairfax Division’s Area 48 Office in Springfield. As a Trooper, he then transferred to the Richmond Division’s Area 6 Office in Powhatan in 2005. A year later he joined the State Police Academy staff as an instructor with the Department’s Canine Unit. In 2010, he was promoted to the rank of Special Agent and has been assigned ever since to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Richmond Field Office Drug Enforcement Section.
“Mike is well-known not only for his passion for criminal justice, but also for his commitment and passion to bettering the lives of local youth,” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent, at a Saturday morning press conference in Mosby Court. “Mike founded and ran a non-profit organization, the Powhatan Youth Wrestling and Community Development Corporation, through the Black Hawk gym. For him and Jamie, this wasn’t about making a profit. It was about making a difference for disadvantaged youth by mentoring them and fostering their talents through physical fitness and sportsmanship.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.