By SARAH RANKIN and DENISE LAVOIE (Associated Press)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A gunman who opened fireplace minutes after a highschool commencement in Richmond, Virginia, focused an 18-year-old graduate he had a long-running dispute with, police stated Wednesday.
Shawn Jackson, 18, and his father, Lorenzo Smith, 36, had been each killed Tuesday within the gunfire, which despatched tons of fleeing in panic outdoors the state capital’s Altria Theater after the commencement ceremony for Huguenot High School. Five different individuals had been wounded by gunfire, and at the very least 12 extra suffered different accidents or had been handled for anxiousness because of the mayhem, in keeping with police.
Richmond Interim Police Chief Rick Edwards stated the capturing suspect, Amari Pollard, 19, knew Jackson and the 2 had been embroiled in a dispute for greater than a 12 months. Edwards stated the character of the dispute remains to be being investigated.
“This was targeted at one individual. … That’s what we know at this time,” Edwards stated throughout a information convention Wednesday.
Pollard was arraigned Wednesday morning on two counts of second-degree homicide, stated Colette McEachin, Richmond’s high prosecutor. Pollard stated he intends to rent an legal professional, so the court docket continued the case till a listening to later this month, McEachin wrote in an electronic mail. Pollard was ordered held with out bond. Court information didn’t instantly checklist an legal professional who might communicate on his behalf.
Jackson had simply acquired his diploma on the commencement ceremony and had walked to a close-by park along with his father to reunite with the remainder of their household when the capturing began, stated Tameeka Jackson-Smith, Jackson’s mom and Smith’s spouse. She stated Smith was Jackson’s father, whereas Edwards later referred to Smith as his stepfather.
Jackson-Smith instructed The Associated Press that her and Smith’s 9-year-old daughter was hit by a automotive within the chaos that erupted afterward. The lady was handled for leg accidents and launched from the hospital, Jackson-Smith stated.
Jackson-Smith stated the household had watched the commencement, then obtained separated in a big crowd after they walked outdoors. “He was so happy — oh my God — because he got to graduate. He worked hard,” she stated of her son.
She stated she was strolling towards her husband and son when she noticed a person run up behind them and begin capturing.
“He was just running and shooting. I had my daughter beside me and I saw her get hit by a car. My niece almost got hit by a car. I was trying to grab them,” she stated.
Edwards stated police consider Pollard attended the commencement, then went outdoors, the place he had some form of “interaction” with Jackson, after which then went to his automotive to retrieve a handgun. Other weapons had been additionally retrieved from the scene, Edwards stated.
Edwards stated authorities plan to hint the handgun. He stated it was not instantly clear the way it had been obtained by Pollard as a result of at age 19, he wouldn’t have been capable of purchase a handgun himself from a licensed supplier.
A federal decide in Virginia dominated final month {that a} federal legislation banning licensed federal firearms sellers from promoting handguns to younger adults beneath 21 violates the Second Amendment and is unconstitutional. The Justice Department has filed a movement asking the decide to place any injunction he might order on maintain till the federal government decides whether or not to attraction his ruling and till any attraction is determined.
No officers had been injured within the incident or discharged their weapons, in keeping with Edwards.
Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras stated he didn’t personally know Jackson however had shaken his hand and wished him congratulations on the ceremony about 20 minutes earlier than he died.
“I can’t shake the image of him receiving CPR on the ground,” nonetheless in his commencement robe, Kamras stated.
Jackson-Smith stated her son loved rap music and making music movies, and performed soccer, basketball and baseball. “Any sport that he touched he was great at,” she stated.
She stated her husband, who was additionally known as “Renzo,” was an Army veteran and a truck driver.
“My husband was so sweet,” she stated. “He was a caregiver, he was just everything that you could wish for in a person.”
The 5 individuals wounded by gunfire had accidents not thought-about life-threatening, Edwards stated.
The superintendent stated all remaining highschool graduations shall be rescheduled for subsequent week and shall be held at colleges as a substitute of on the theater. There shall be enhanced safety, he stated.
All Richmond Public Schools had been to shut Thursday and Friday, and school-related occasions had been canceled, the district introduced. District workers had been nonetheless requested to report back to work, nonetheless, and college students and households can go to colleges to drop off or decide up gadgets or get meals.
Edwards stated police are asking individuals who had been close to the capturing to name a tip line and ship the FBI movies or different photos they’ve on their telephones.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”