RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond City Council has voted to designate the block where Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) student Shawn Soares was killed by a driver in his honor.
On Thursday, May 11, 26-year-old VCU graduate student Shawn Soares was walking on the 300 block of West Main Street in Richmond when he was struck and killed after two drivers collided, sending one vehicle off the roadway.
Soares’ death came just a few months after 22-year-old VCU student Mahrohk Khan was struck and killed by a driver on West Main Street near North Laurel Street.
On Monday, Sept. 25, City Council voted to adopt ORD 2023-241, which will “designate the north side of the 300 block of West Main Street” in honor of Soares.
The deaths of the two students sparked dialogue among members of City Council about the safety of West Main Street. In the days following Soares’ death, Andreas Addison, who represents the city’s first district, suggested the possibility of converting Main and Cary Streets to two-way due to the speed at which drivers travel on both one-way roads.
