RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Neighbors and university alumni react after a deadly shooting on West Broad Street left one man dead and another facing life-threatening injuries.
According to the Richmond Police Department, officers were called to the 300 block of West Broad Street near the intersection of Madison Street on Sunday, Feb. 18 at around 3:22 a.m. for a report of a person shot. Officials confirmed the incident followed an altercation.
Richmond resident Jeff Bell lives in an area near where shooting took place, and said he heard sounds of gunshots in the early morning.
“I don’t know if this is what woke me up, but it’s about three [in the morning] or so and gunshots, sound like gunshots…several gunshots,” Bell said. “Then I woke up [at] about six. There were cop cars outside, blocking broad streets, not letting anybody through.”
When officers arrived on scene, they found one man with a gunshot wound who was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man was also found with a gunshot wound and was rushed to the hospital in a personal vehicle with life-threatening injuries.
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Police also responded to the scene. In a release, VCU Police said the shooting took place at a private club in the area of West Broad Street. At this time, the name of the club has not been released by police.
Bell said he has heard gunshots in the area only one other time.
“It was on the other side where I live and a person died there too,” Bell said. “So, I mean, it doesn’t happen — I don’t want to say often, but it does happen, unfortunately.”
VCU alumni told 8News situations like these occur often in the area.
“I mean, living around here, that was a regular occurrence, to hear that kind of thing. So, you know that, that just doesn’t shock me very much,” VCU Alumnus Jay Dabney said.
VCU alumna Fatima Lopez said she feels like every weekend she gets a notification from VCU about situations happening near the campus.
“You think you’re going to school and, like, everything’s fine and dandy, and then at three in the morning you get a text, ‘Oh, something’s going on.’ It’s like, did I pick the right school? Like, is this safe enough to be out at night anymore?” Lopez said.
Chris Mann, the general manager of a nearby club, Black Iris Social Club, spoke with 8News providing condolences to the victims.
“You never want to see a lot of loss of life from people just trying to enjoy their time downtown, but we are always around for comments and that if anyone needs us, you know, we’re mourning the loss for them and we’re sorry that happened,” Mann said.
The Richmond Police Department continues to investigate this incident and 8News is told the medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of the victim’s death.
