Middleburg Police Chief A. J. Panebianco administered his department's Honor Oath to the newest member of the Middleburg Police force, Officer Mark Putnam, at Town Council's regular monthly meeting on July 11.

Putnam's wife and son both participated in the ceremonies instituted by Panebianco as an outward and visible sign of each officer's commitment to the highest ethical standards of law enforcement.

Putnam had been officially sworn in by the Clerk of the Loudoun County Circuit Court on July 2, 2013. He found himself in serious action only a day later.

On his first full day on the job, Putnam and Officer Heather Fadely responded to an emergency call to a house in the 600 block of West Washington Street. There they found the seriously wounded victim of a gunshot wound. Both officers performed their duties admirably, according to Chief Panebianco, as the victim was helicoptered out and the County Sheriff's Department began its forensic investigation. The shooting victim later died of her wounds.

Less than twenty-four hours later Lieutenant Mike Prince and Chief Panebianco responded to the same address to find the victim's husband dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

At press time the County Sheriff's investigation of the double tragedy was still in progress.