On August 9, 2024, 28-year-old Deputy Hunter Dakota Reedy tragically and senselessly lost his life in the line of duty while serving the citizens of Smyth County, Virginia.  After assisting a local police department with a traffic stop, the driver became agitated and fatally shot and killed Deputy Reedy as he approached the driver.  During the ensuing exchange of gun fire, the driver and a second deputy were shot.

Deputy Reedy was an exceptional deputy, full of grit.  While he never backed down from any situation that needed attention, Deputy Reedy also had a soft spot for the children he served in the community. Whether it was dancing in the street on prom night or passing a football with the kids in an apartment complex, he always took the time to be a true example of not only a great deputy, but also a remarkable person. Deputy Reedy took his appointment as a deputy to heart, always striving to do the right thing morally and legally.  Deputy Reedy was a true country boy at heart.  He never faltered in taking care of the coworkers around him, from advice to a helping hand when needed.

When it came to his family, Hunter exceeded his role as a husband and a father.  He married the love of his life, Bettina, in 2020.  Hunter always said the boys got him and that he fell in love with them first.  Brantley and Kaden were blessed with Hunter as a father, and he was immeasurably proud to officially adopt his boys.  In 2022, Hunter and Bettina welcomed their sweet daughter, Kaede Belle.  No matter who he talked to, he or she always left knowing and feeling the love Hunter couldn't help but show for his wife and three children.  His children knew what it meant to work hard, but they also knew dad would always be there for every football game, camping trip, fishing excursion, or dirt track race. It was no secret to anyone in Hunter's life that his family came first. 

It will be an extremely long road for his law enforcement brothers and sisters to travel in the coming days and beyond, but it is unfathomable what his family is facing.  Deputy Reedy was a selfless being and as such made the ultimate sacrifice.  Please help us show his family how much we don't take that cost for granted.