Rodney Fredderick Pocceschi

Virginia Beach Police Department — Virginia Beach, VA

Felonious

End of Watch June 23, 2003

Age 33

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 151 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Police Officer Rodney Pocceschi was shot and killed while making a traffic stop in the 2100 block of Dam Neck Road at 3:24 am.

After the vehicle was stopped, the driver exited and opened fire, striking Officer Pocceschi. The suspect and Officer Pocceschi were fatally wounded in the ensuing exchange of gunfire. A juvenile who was returning from a fishing trip, observed Officer Pocceschi in the roadway and stopped to render assistance. He flagged down another officer who was responding to a robbery call. Officer Pocceschi was transported to Virginia Beach General Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds approximately 40 minutes later.

Officer Pocceschi had stopped the vehicle only minutes after a robbery call at a local restaurant. The vehicle's passenger and an employee of the restaurant that was robbed, were both arrested and charged in relation to the robbery. The suspect who shot Officer Pocceschi was a six time convicted felon and was wanted for assaulting another police officer.

Officer Pocceschi had served with the Virginia Beach Police Department for four years and was assigned to the Special Operations Units. He had previously served with the Bloomsburg University Police Department in Pennsylvania.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and 9-month-old son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-BB6792F8
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Pocceschi gave the Virginia Beach Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Virginia Beach community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Pocceschi.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Virginia Beach Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Virginia Beach, VA

Platform Identity vbpd.virginiabeach.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 23, 2003

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Police Officer Rodney Fredderick Pocceschi is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In VA, 394 of 656 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.1% of this state's fallen. That is 60.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Virginia Beach Police Department, 6 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Virginia Beach Police Department

of 12 officers

50% Felonious

VA — Statewide

394

of 656 officers

60.1% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious