NORFOLK
A second man has died as the result of a gunfight inside a motel room, and police said Friday that an attempted robbery appeared to be what set things off.
Trevor L. Pauley, 20, of Norfolk had been hospitalized in grave condition after the incident early Thursday at the Econo Lodge at 865 N. Military Hwy. A Sentara Norfolk General Hospital spokeswoman said Pauley died about 1:45 a.m. Friday.
Police said Pauley was one of three men, at least one of whom was armed, who forced their way shortly before 2:15 a.m. Thursday into a room occupied by two men, one of whom legally had a weapon.
Gunfire erupted, and one of those entering the room, Dante F. Cooley, 22, of Virginia Beach, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cooley died from a gunshot wound to the back and Pauley from one to the head, the state medical examiner's office reported Friday.
The motel guest who shot Cooley and Pauley - his identity hasn't been released by police - also was wounded in the exchange and hospitalized, but his condition was improving, police said.
The third man who entered the room fled in a silver-colored vehicle, and police were still looking for him Friday, they said. The second motel guest wasn't injured, police said.
The investigation is ongoing, but no charges are expected from police, said Master Police Officer Chris Amos, department spokesman. The investigation results will be sent to the commonwealth's attorney, who will determine whether the fatal shootings were justified, he said.
"At this point, it looks like attempted robbery - nothing to do with drugs," Amos said. "It didn't pan out the way they expected."
Pauley's death was Norfolk's 27th homicide of the year, two of which were police shootings determined to be justified.
Matthew Bowers, (757) 222-3893, matthew.bowers@pilotonline.com
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