A Virginia police detective, David Edward Abbott Jr., fatally shot himself in Gainesville on Tuesday, after police stormed his home for allegedly soliciting a minor for sex. Abbott, 39, had been a Manassas City detective working with the Northern Virginia-Washington D.C. Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to People. Abbott refused to surrender to police and shot himself after a brief standoff with authorities.
A police statement claims that investigations pertaining to Abbott's conduct began on Dec. 14. The investigation revealed that "the accused was a coach for a local Prince William County hockey league where he had met the victim. Detectives learned that the inappropriate contact between the accused and the victim began in June of 2013 when the victim was 11," People reported. The inappropriate contact "consisted of soliciting sexual acts via phone, text, social media and email," according to the statement, and that "the accused also had face-to-face interactions with the victim." A second victim has come forward, also part of the hockey league, with inappropriate communication beginning in June 2008, when the victim was 13.
"This is a tragic and sad day for the Abbott family, the juvenile victims and their families, the Manassas City Police Department, and our community. In spite of these recent developments regarding the serious allegations against him, we are grateful for the contributions Det. Abbott made during his time with Manassas City Police, to include the prosecution and conviction of hundreds of criminals. His family and peers request privacy during this time as we grieve and struggle to accept the realities of such a loss, "the police department said in a statement, according to USA Today.
Abbott was in the news last year for leading an investigation into a sexting case, in which a 17-year-old male sent a photo of his genitals to his 15-year-old girlfriend, according to the Daily Mail. Abbott obtained warrants for him and his team to be able to take photos of the 17-year-old's genitals in a sexually aroused state, so they could be compared to the photo that was sent.
