At approximately 5:36 p.m. on Wednesday, deputies were dispatched to the 100 block of Blue Jay Lane in the Pittsville community to serve warrants on James Andru Lehnerd for brandishing a firearm, trespassing, and to serve a temporary protective order.
Lehnerd resisted to the service of the criminal warrants and protective order and began firing at the officers.
Three of the four officers sustained non-life-threatening wounds from the shots being fired at them.
Additional law enforcement officers arrived to support in the evacuation of the initial wounded deputies, the containment, and the subsequent apprehension of the shooter. One Investigator was treated and released at the Gretna ER last evening.
Countless attempts to contact the suspect were made by members of the Negotiation Teams without success, after which Special Weapons and Tactics Team members made entry into the residence.
Suspect Lehnerd was located and taken into custody without further incident. Lehnerd, age 36, of Blue Jay Lane, Pittsville, Virginia, was taken into police custody at approximately 11:00 PM and charged with the following: Trespassing, Brandishing a Firearm, Serving a Protective Order, and Attempted Capital Murder of Law Enforcement.
Lehnerd was arraigned this morning and has been appointed an attorney and is being held without bond. A probable cause hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 1:30 PM in the Pittsylvania County General District Court. Additional charges are anticipated.
The Sheriff’s Office is grateful to the following agencies that responded with manpower and resources: The Virginia State Police, The Lynchburg Police Department, The ATF, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the following Police Departments: Danville Police, Chatham Police, Gretna Police, the following Sheriff’s Offices, Amherst, Bedford and Campbell County, Pittsylvania County Fire and Rescue the 911 Dispatchers and Critical Care Paramedics and Centra’s Hospital air support.
