Newport News Police Department(NEWPORT NEWS, Va.) –A Virginia community is in mourning after a local dentist was mysteriously gunned down outside his practice.

Newport News dentist William Trolenberg, 65, was found shot in a parking lot outside his office just after 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Newport News Police Department.

Patients took to social media to express their shock and offer condolences.

Dr
Trolenberg took care of my family of 7 for over 15 years. He was wonderful always and this is truly devastating news! prayers to family and staff!

— Robin Friend (Ankelmacrilzac) (@Ankelmacrilzac) June 20, 2019

I just learned our dentist and a very kind man, Dr. William Trolenberg, was murdered Wednesday afternoon outside his office. Senseless.

— Kathryn Loveless (@KathiLoveless) June 21, 2019

As police search for the gunman, local officials held a prayer circle and community walk Thursday afternoon at Deer Park Dental, the dentist’s practice.

“This community is feeling it,” Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said at the prayer circle. “This is a good community, this is a strong community. I learned that just by the neighbors that I talked to yesterday. I learned that just by walking up here and seeing the number of individuals that are here today. That tells me that people care.”

Newport News Mayor McKinley Price added, “We’re gonna do the best we can to apprehend this person.”

Police have released photos of a possible person of interest and are asking the public to help identify him.

SEEKING IDENTITY OF PERSON OF INTEREST
We are still working to ID a person of interest in yesterday’s homicide investigation. We are releasing new photos and continue to ask the public to share them. pic.twitter.com/vEmfZlXoOP

— Newport News Police (@NewportNewsPD) June 20, 2019

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