HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — Hopewell Police are investigating a deadly shooting that left two teenagers dead along train tracks and two other teenagers hurt.
Police identified 18-year-old Jasir Culver of Petersburg and 14-year-old Micah Coles of Hopewell as the two teens who died in the shooting Friday night.
Officers responded to Elm Street and Arlington Road just before 10:30 p.m. and found Culver and Coles lying on the train tracks with several gunshot wounds. The city’s Fire and EMS crews pronounced both victims dead at the scene.
In the same incident, police said two 15-year-olds were shot and went to the hospital for treatment. Both of them are expected to recover.
Jose Alvarado, who lives near the train tracks, said the neighborhood is no stranger to crime but he’s concerned about so many lives lost to gun violence.
“It’s sad to hear these things. You know it shocks me to my heart and makes me feel awful to hear these kinds of things happen to our kids in our neighborhood,” he said.
Alvarado is sending a message to the community hoping the violence will end soon.
“It could be one of my kids, it could be anybody,” he said. “Please put your hand on your heart and think that that’s your brother or your family, your mother, your sister — that you’re hurting. Don’t hurt anyone, please.”
Police didn’t reveal any suspect information at this time. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Hopewell Police department or Crimes Solvers at 804-541-2202.
