A father and son were killed and several others were hurt in a mass shooting following a high school graduation in Richmond, Virginia, police said. According to court records, 19-year-old Amari Ty-Jon Pollard has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the incident. Five others were wounded by the gunfire outside the state capitals city-owned Altria Theater, which is across the street from a large, grassy park and in the middle of the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. The situation in Newport News left many shaken, with major questions still unanswered. On Saturday, some families were left in a stunned grief. Saturday. The 2 killed in mass shooting after Virginia high school graduation Other guns were also retrieved from the scene, Edwards said. School officials later said in a campus alert, "There is no ongoing threat to the community but there is a heavy police presence at Monroe Park. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. How did the Graduation Day shooting victims and suspect know each other? Before moving to California, he spent seven years as Baghdad bureau chief and also reported on Turkey. More about Sarah Mervosh, Tim Arango is a Los Angeles correspondent. Pollard was arraigned Wednesday morning on two counts of second-degree murder, said Colette McEachin, Richmonds top prosecutor. He joined The Times in 2007 as a media reporter. She told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the shooting caused a panic on nearby Main Street, which was packed with people at the time. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Sarah Rankin reports on Virginia politics and government for the Associated Press. The app features breaking news alerts, live video, weather radar, traffic incidents, closings and delays and more. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Texas governor defies federal threat to sue over floating border barriers, Police use excavator to dig up backyard of suspect in New York killings, Former gynecologist to be sentenced to 20 years for abuse of patients, Arkansas man who beat officer with flagpole during riot sentenced, Carlee Russell apologizes, says there was no kidnapping, Police in Ohio release K-9 dog onto Black man apparently surrendering, Extreme heat, air pollution may double risk of heart attack death, study finds, Russia warns of retaliatory measures after Ukraine claims attack on Moscow, Virginia graduation shooting victims identified, Son and stepfather among victims of Virginia graduation shooting. Getting to the graduation stage was not easy. "This was targeted at one individual," Edwards said. 7 Shot Outside High School Graduation in Richmond, Virginia - The New The shooting took place at Monroe Park, an open space on campus, at 5:13 p.m., authorities said. The superintendent said all remaining high school graduations will be rescheduled for next week and will be held at schools instead of at the theater. March 26, 2021, 10:45 PM PDT / Updated March 27, 2021, 2:10 PM PDT By Dennis Romero Three men were arrested in connection with shootings that left eight people injured overnight near the oceanfront. RICHMOND, Va. A gunman who opened fire minutes after a high school graduation in Richmond, Virginia, targeted an 18-year-old graduate he had a long-running dispute with, police said Wednesday. Tameeka Jackson-Smith told NBC News her son, Shawn Jackson and her husband, Renzo Smith, 36, were killed in the shooting, which left five others injured, according to police. VCU sent out an . Sunday. Police say a 19-year-old suspect was arrested shortly after the mass shooting and found in possession of four handguns. 12 pm - 5 pm. He was so happy oh my God because he got to graduate. One of two people initially taken into custody, a 19-year-old man, was suspected in the shooting, Richmonds interim police chief, Rick Edwards, said at a news conference. Any sport that he touched he was great at, she said. This should not be happening anywhere, Stoney said. Police respond to a shooting incident in Richmond, Virginia, June 6, 2023. I had my daughter beside me and I saw her get hit by a car. 0:00. Daniel Trotta is a U.S. National Affairs correspondent, covering water/fire/drought, race, guns, LGBTQ+ issues and breaking news in America. Stay informed with VBAlert, the City's free . School board member Jonathan Young told Richmond TV station WWBT that graduates and other attendees were leaving the building when they heard about 20 gunshots in rapid succession. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, How Graduation Day shooting is impacting all Richmond Schools. Police said those questions were part of their ongoing investigation and that detectives are not yet in a position to share information publicly. Jackson-Smith said her son enjoyed rap music and making music videos, and played football, basketball and baseball. District employees were still asked to report to work, however, and students and families can go to schools to drop off or pick up items or get meals. Outside Richneck Elementary, a sprawling, green-roofed building in a quiet neighborhood of Newport News, the schools sign on Saturday still read Happy New Year.. The victims have been identified as 18-year-old Shawn Jackson and his 36-year-old stepfather Renzo Smith of Chesterfield County, Richmond, Acting Chief of Police Rick Edwards said in a news conference on Wednesday. Richmond City Jail. RICHMOND, Va. -- Shawn Jackson, the 18-year-old Huguenot High School student shot and killed after his high school graduation ceremony last week in Richmond, Virginia, had been on homebound instruction and not physically attending classes Huguenot prior to his graduation, Richmond Public School (RPS) officials confirmed. 1:16. Kamras described Jackson as a sociable and popular presence who had to overcome personal adversity to graduate. Pollard opened fire on the joyous gathering around 5:15 p.m. as jubilant families milled outside the Altria Theater after seeing Huguenot High School graduates walk the stage to receive their diplomas. Advocates say its not nearly enough. Newly graduated student, man attending graduation died in Richmond A municipal building in Virginia Beach, Va., was turned into a scene of carnage on Friday afternoon after a longtime public utilities employee began firing indiscriminately at his co-workers. 1 dead, 7 hurt after 'senseless act' at Virginia graduation party Hours of Operation. I beg of you to stop. Virginia Beach middle schoolers learn Chinese, Arabic and Russian through summer program Entertainment | Teachers sue Newport News School Board over 2021 Heritage High School shooting All rights reserved. As the mother of two school-aged children, I cannot fathom the profound heartbreak, sense of loss and trauma these families are experiencing.". The Richmond public schools superintendent, Jason Kamras, said: Im just tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot. Authorities believe the suspect knew at least one of the victims, he said. She attended Kansas State University and was a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa after graduation. We cannot continue to live in fear. Graduate and his dad killed in mass shooting after high school 1 dead, 12 injured in shootings at graduation parties in Virginia and On Wednesday morning, discarded bright yellow sashes that had been worn by teens over their graduation gowns were still lying on the ground. In 2017 he was awarded the NLGJA award for excellence in transgender coverage. He will be held without bond until further . Gunman shoots two dead, wounds five others at Virginia high school Nine more people were treated for anxiety and minor injuries and two people for falls, police said. The teacher suffered life-threatening injuries but had improved by Saturday and was in stable condition. And I beg of the entire community to stop, to just stop.. Virginia Beach middle schoolers learn Chinese, Arabic and Russian Killed in the shooting were Huguenot High School graduate Shawn Jackson, 18, and his father, Renzo Smith, 36. a response to a special election earlier this year in Virginia Beach, . Five other people were wounded by gunfire, Built-in software death dates are sending thousands of schools Chromebooks to the recycling bin, How CU Buffs football coach Deion Sanders is changing Boulder, one menu at a time: The guy is unapologetically himself., State Farm Florida is now the states second-largest home insurer. Jackson's 9-year-old sister was hit by a car and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. My niece almost got hit by a car. Prominent Virginia dentist allegedly stabbed to death by d Carlee Russell admits 'there was no kidnapping' or baby on the highway in bombshell hoax confession, Dad smashes windshield to save crying baby from scorching car, Can you spot the historical mistake in 'Oppenheimer?' DeWayne Craddock, a 15-year public works employee, stopped in the men's bathroom to brush his teeth near the end of his shift, like he did every day. And he was rightly proud and smiling and celebrating like all of his peers. Sidea Griffin The graduation was held at 1:30 p.m. at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, affiliate WTKR reports. Police have charged a 19-year-old suspect in the deadly mass shooting outside a Virginia high school graduation ceremony Tuesday that left a longtime rival and his father dead just moments after th We had hundreds of people in Monroe Park, so people scattered. I dont have any more words on this, Kamras said. The five people wounded by gunfire had injuries not considered life-threatening, Edwards said. Virginia Commonwealth University security detained the suspect after he left the scene, Edwards said. Armed female bystander kills man firing at party in West Virginia They had just spent the last couple of weeks learning Ch The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. A 19-year-old suspect tried to escape on foot but was arrested. My niece almost got hit by a car. Let City of Virginia Beach news and events come to you! Police radio traffic on Friday described a woman who had been shot in the abdomen and was waiting in the schools office in and out of consciousness., Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot, via Associated Press. RICHMOND Seven people were shot, two fatally, when gunfire rang out Tuesday outside a downtown theater in Richmond, Virginia, where a high school graduation ceremony had just ended, causing. Kamras added three students from another school in the district were shot in a separate incident just 24 hours prior. "This is supposed to be a joyous day when our kids walk the stage and get their diploma," he said, describing how Tuesday's graduates walked "out the doors into their families' and friends' arms, taking pictures. Associated Press journalists Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed to this report. Inside Richneck Elementary School, children and teachers hunkered down in fear. Officers inside the theater, where the graduation ceremony for Huguenot High School had been taking place, heard gunfire around 5:15 p.m. and radioed to police stationed outside, who found multiple victims, Edwards said. An overview of the scene after a gunman opened fire in a park as high school graduates and their families emerged from a theater in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday. Video of the incident shows a crowd of celebrants chatting and congratulating each other before a volley of gunshots suddenly rang out and sent panicked crowds scampering for safety. We had hundreds of people in Monroe Park, so people scattered. Note: On May 31, 2019, a disgruntled employee opened fire at a municipal building in Virginia Beach . In the 2020-21 school year, the most recent year for which data is available, 59 elementary schools reported an incident involving a gun, up from 32 the prior year and up from single digits as recently as 2016, according to data from the K-12 School Shooting Database reported by the National Center for Education Statistics. An earlier version of this article misidentified the agency where Andrew Block served as a former director. The authorities have not publicly identified the child or the teacher, detailed the nature of the altercation or offered information about whether the gun was taken from home, school or elsewhere. June 6 (Reuters) - A man armed with four handguns killed two people and wounded five others when he fired into a crowd outside a high school graduation ceremony in Richmond, Virginia, on. Please enter valid email address to continue. Police have not yet said to whom the remaining two guns belonged. Police said they arrested one suspect, a 19-year-old man who knew one of the victims and shot at him amid the crowd that had just emerged from the Huguenot High School's commencement ceremony inside a theater on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. NEWPORT NEWS, Va. The scene was heartbreakingly familiar. The shooting took place around 5:13 p.m. in Monroe Park, near Virginia Commonwealth University, officials said. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. Pollard, of Enrico County, was arraigned on two charges of second-degree murder Wednesday morning and held without bail. Va. Democrats launch 'Majority Project' ahead of crucial elections Daniel Smith, 51, who lives near the elementary school, said he was surprised by the shooting because the surrounding neighborhood is generally safe. In Richmond, Va., something that's happening all too often - a joyous event in this case, a high school graduation - abruptly turning to terror when a shooter opened fire. "When you have a crowd like this, innocent people are going to be caught up in the mayhem, and that's what happened today. " The boy was in police custody Friday evening, the authorities said, but the unusual nature of the situation leaves the path forward far from clear. She said she was walking toward her husband and son when she saw a man run up behind them and start shooting. After Virginia Teacher Is Shot, Many Questions and a Murky Legal Path Richmond Interim Police Chief Rick Edwards said the shooting suspect, Amari Pollard, 19, knew Jackson and the two had been embroiled in a dispute for more than a year. On Wednesday, the two killed were named as Shawn Jackson, 18, and his father Lorenzo Smith, 36. Police had not yet publicly released the names of the victims as of early Wednesday. We've received your submission. Five others were wounded by the gunfire outside the state capitals city-owned Altria Theater, which is across the street from a large, grassy park and in the middle of the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. June 6 (Reuters) - A man armed with four handguns killed two people and wounded five others when he fired into a crowd outside a high school graduation ceremony in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday, police said. Jackson-Smith said the family had watched the graduation, then got separated in a large crowd after they walked outside. And while police said Pollard is charged with two counts of second-degree murder for shooting and killing Jackson and Smith, police have not yet said who fired shots that injured up to five other people outside the graduation ceremony. (modern). Moviegoers say it 'totally ruined the film', Very low-key Matt Lauer hits the Southampton charity scene solo, Cops break up party at summer hotspot Showfish at Montauk Yacht Club, Pete Davidson must complete 50 hours of community service after reckless driving charge, Todays Iconic Moment in New York Sports: The 'Pine Tar' Incident, Jamie Foxx Breaks His Silence On Health Scare: I Went To Hell And Back, Gisele Bndchen 'not happy at all' about Tom Brady, Irina Shayk's weekend sleepover: report. Contact Information. Im just here trying to keep my son occupied so hes not thinking about everything, Mr. Gonzalez-Hernandez added, speaking briefly from his porch. Updated on: June 7, 2023 / 7:30 PM How the mass shooting at a Virginia Beach city office building - CNN Advocates say its not nearly enough. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Off-duty officers working security inside the ceremony immediately responded to the scene and found the shooting victims, Edwards said. They knew each other and had an ongoing dispute, Edwards said, adding that there were no indications that the shooting was gang-related at this point. A second person who was taken into custody was uninvolved, he said. Sarah Rankin reports on Virginia politics and government for the Associated Press. Our newsletter will make it easier for you to stay up to date on the latest City projects and programs. Monday - Friday. Shawn Jackson, 18, and his father, Lorenzo Smith, 36, were both killed Tuesday in the gunfire, which sent hundreds fleeing in panic outside the state capitals Altria Theater after the graduation ceremony for Huguenot High School. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. High school graduate, father killed after Richmond graduation; shooting Father and son, 18, killed and 5 injured in shooting after high school At least 12 others were injured or treated for anxiety due to the mayhem, according to police. Pollard made his first appearance in court Wednesday where he was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and held without bail. An 18-year-old who had just graduated and his father were killed in a shooting Tuesday after a high school graduation ceremony on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus, Richmond police said. The suspect, 19-year-old Ameri Ty-John Pollard, is in custody in connection with the shooting, which unfolded in a park on Tuesday after the Huguenot High School graduation ended in a nearby theater. He noted that he shook his hand after bestowing his graduation diploma and that he was dead 20 minutes later. He did not confirm a WWBT television news report that the victims were father and son. Virginia police Tuesday responded to a shooting incident near a theater that was holding a high school graduation ceremony. Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Our city, our community will not be defined by this violence. 2 killed and 5 others injured in Richmond, Virginia, graduation - CNN Seven people shot in mass shooting at Virginia high school graduation The teacher who was shot was in stable condition on Saturday, the police said, but details surrounding the gun remained unknown. There will be enhanced security, he said. Police have charged a 19-year-old suspect in relation to a mass shooting outside a Virginia high school graduation ceremony Tuesday, saying he was targeting a longtime rival who died along with his stepfather. Beginners will absolutely delight in the easy to understand and simple to duplicate processes taught in our shooting school. Gunfire rang out outside a downtown theater, where the graduation ceremony had just ended, causing hundreds of attendees to flee in panic, weep and clutch their children, authorities and witnesses said. Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said the shocking incident has sparked concerns over retaliation, and that local violence interrupters have been deployed to quell tensions. Jack Begg contributed research. The serious competitor and avid bird hunter will completely appreciate the no nonsense . "I didn't know Shawn, but I shook his hand andwished him congratulations about20 minutes before he died," Richmond Public Schools SuperintendentJason Kamras said at Wednesday's news conference. One victim, a 31-year-old, is in the hospital in life-threatening condition while the other four suffered non-life-threatening injures, authorities said. To access information, visit the Police Site here. A new system in California recasts gun violence as a public health concern. High school graduate, father killed after, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), High school graduate, father killed after Richmond graduation; shooting was targeted, police say, FBI investigating death of intellectually disabled inmate at Smyth County prison, document shows, Historic Danville house of worship morphing into Airbnb, A regular visit with your doctor is quickly becoming a thing of the past. This was targeted at one individual. For the 2023-24 school year, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) would receive approximately $16.3 million in formula grant funds through programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of . Virginia graduation shooting suspect IDed as Amari Pollard - New York Post The Richmond interim police chief, Rick Edwards, said Pollard knew Jackson. He's due back in court on June 21. Virginia Employment Commission eliminates backlogs, touts progress. The suspect, 19-year-old Ameri Ty-John Pollard, is in custody in connection with the shooting, which unfolded in a park on Tuesday after the Huguenot High School graduation ended in a nearby theater. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. A Richmond Public Schools spokesperson said the graduation ceremony would be rescheduled. We continually strive to maintain a high standard of . Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools Jason Kamras said at the Wednesday news conference, "I can't shake the image of him receiving CPR still in his graduation gown. It vows to stay in Florida, Exclusive: Kroger and Albertsons CEOs give details on controversial $25 billion merger, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Police Department. Graduation - Virginia Beach City Public Schools Get Local Emergency Alerts on Your Phone from VBAlert. The school district has not publicly discussed the reasons behind Jackson's homebound education plan but confirmed it was not due to disciplinary infractions. He was just running and shooting. Thomas Jefferson High School's graduation ceremony scheduled for Tuesday night was canceled and all Richmond Public Schools are closed Wednesday. Edwards said that Pollard and Jackson knew each other and had "an ongoing dispute.". (757) 385-4141. vbpd@vbgov.com. Police radio traffic posted online by Broadcastify, a streaming service, captured the chaotic moments as a dispatcher communicated with officers responding to the scene. 12 Killed in Rampage at Municipal Center in Virginia outside a Virginia high school graduation ceremony. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "A child should be able to go to their graduation and walk up to graduation and enjoy the accomplishment with their friends and their families," Stoney told reporters. Huguenot High School will not be defined by this violence, said Mayor Levar Stoney. U.S. Virginia graduation shooting that killed teen, stepdad fueled by "ongoing dispute," police say By Gina Martinez, Jordan Freiman Updated on: June 7, 2023 / 7:30 PM / CBS News Two people.