Attempted robbery leads to gun fight
Armed victim fires back

Updated: Friday, 12 Jun 2009, 9:12 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 11 Jun 2009, 6:53 PM EDT

NORFOLK, Va. - An attempted robbery led to a gunfight at a Norfolk motel Thursday. Three suspects, one armed with a handgun, stormed into a room at the Econo Lodge. Much to the surprise of the suspected criminals, one of the victims was also carrying a gun.

Police say two of the suspects were shot by the victim. One of the suspects died at the scene, the other was transported to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition.

The suspect who died has been identified as 22-year-old Dante Cooley of Virginia Beach. Police have not yet released the names of the other two suspects, one of which fled the scene and remains on the run.

The victim, who was also shot by one of the suspects and transported to the hospital is expected to recover.

Michael Collier works with the victims. He said, "[The victim] was returning fire in the middle of a robbery. That's all he was doing, and he's alive because of it. He's a quiet, mild mannered guy. He's worked with us four or five years. He is a real great guy."

Investigators watched surveillance video from the motel, but left empty handed because the video was either grainy or the cameras weren't working.

The two victims worked for Collier Electric. They were changing the lighting in Norfolk Public Schools making it more eco-friendly.

The victim who was not hurt returned to his home in the Richmond-Chesterfield area, which is also where Collier Electric is based.

Late Thursday afternoon, 15 rooms at the Econo Lodge reserved by Collier Electric were empty. All the workers left town as they normally do on Thursdays for the weekend, but this time they are unlikely to return.

Ironically, the Collier Electric employees stayed at the Econo Lodge because the motel was thought to be a safer place to stay at than where they were originally staying.

Police were called out to the Econo Lodge 89 times since June 11, 2008. Those calls included Assault, Robbery and Disturbing the Peace.

The case remains under investigation. Police believe the suspect who fled the scene may be driving a silver vehicle. If you have any information that could help police in this case, you're asked to call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

Status Updates:



No word on if Dante Cooley was "just turning his life around".

Oh, of course he was. I'm sure he was also "a good kid" and "confused".

"A victim of his circumstances"

Terrible article

1. They kept using the word victims when it was apparent that those horrible electricians had guns.

2. There was no mention of whether or not the electricians were using "mankiller" bullets, how many guns they owned, or how much time they had spent at the range.

3. As was already mentioned, there was no interview of the robbers' mothers so we could understand what great kids they were and how someone unnecessarily cut their lives short.

4. The reporter failed to state that this tragedy could have been avoided if the electrician would have simply complied. I mean, do we really know that the alleged "robbers" intended to do them harm? They shouldn't have taken justice into their own hands.

Maybe the mainstream media will get hold of this story and give it the 'proper' treatment. . .

I do like that in Virginia, the newsies properly identify the victim.

Police were called to the hotel 89 times in a year??

I sure wouldn't stay there. They must have cheap rates

For a hotel I'm not sure that's all that extreme. You got every walk of life in there, plus whose to say half of them aren't noise complaints.