Christiansburg Police Department, Virginia
End of Watch: Friday, May 9, 2003
Age: 43
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: 107
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 9, 2003
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Officer Scott Hylton was shot and killed after responding to a shoplifting call at a gas station, at 2375 Roanoke Street, at approximately 5:30 am.
When he pulled into the parking lot, the suspect immediately went to the patrol car and started attacking him. Officer Hylton was able to make it out of the vehicle, but the subject knocked him to the ground and gained control of his .40 caliber service weapon.
The man started shooting at the store and then shot Officer Hylton several times as he lay on the ground. The subject then tried to drive away but was stopped by a responding Montgomery County sheriff's deputy. The man immediately opened fire, wounding the deputy. The deputy, along with two other responding officers, chased the suspect into the nearby woods and exchanged fire with him, killing him.
Officer Hylton was flown to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital where he died a short time later.
The deputy who was wounded, Corporal Eric Sutphin, was shot and killed in the line of duty on August 21st, 2006 while participating in a manhunt for a suspect who had shot and killed an unarmed hospital security guard after overpowering a deputy and stealing his service weapon.
Officer Hylton was a United States Army National Guard veteran and had served with the Christiansburg Police Department for only one year but had served in law enforcement for 20 years, serving with the Hillsville Police Department, Radford University Police Department, and Floyd County Sheriff's Office. He is survived by his wife, four children, parents, and sister.