NORFOLK, Va. — At least two people were killed and six injured in three separate shooting incidents across Hampton Roads Saturday morning.
The first of these took place at around 1:45 in Portsmouth when a security guard at a nightclub reportedly fired a single shot after seeing someone pulling out a gun. According to a spokesperson for the Portsmouth Police Department, five people were injured by this single gunshot.
The owner of Notorious Lounge did not want to appear on camera but said the nightclub’s security guard may be involved in what happened, telling us that one person was shot and drove themselves to the hospital.
There was no explanation of how the other four people were injured, nor was there any description of the types of injuries they received. None was considered life-threatening.
Then, at around 2:15 a.m., police in Newport News were sent to 17th Street and Terminal Avenue in response to a report of a shooting. They found 40-year-old Larry Leroy Wallace at that location with at least one gunshot wound. Wallace was taken to a local hospital for treatment where he died about a half-hour later. Police provided no suspect information, and the investigation remains ongoing.
At around the same time, dispatch confirmed to us that Newport News Police were sent to Coral Court, off of Jefferson Ave. near Jefferson Labs for a report of a shooting. At that location, they found a man with a gunshot wound described as "non-life threatening." Police have not provided any other details or suspect information in this case.
Then, at around 4:50 a.m., Norfolk police were dispatched to the 1400 block of Norchester Avenue for the report of a gunshot victim. When officers arrived, they found a man with a gunshot wound. for a report of a shooting. There, they found a man who'd been shot. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Later Saturday, Norfolk Police identified the victim as 18-year-old Jabari C. Smith.
Police determined that the shooting took place on E. Princess Anne Rd. near Ingleside Rd. A Walmart Neighborhood Market at that location was shut down for hours after the fatal shooting while the parking lot of the busy grocery store was combed for evidence.
Deann Hill said she planned to do some morning shopping at the Walmart when she found a crime scene. The store closed for hours this morning as Norfolk Police Department officers investigated.
“It was part of my routine this morning to go to the store and pick up a few things for later today. And as I turned to go into the parking lot, I saw the police tape all around,” Hill said. “I was like, ‘Oh my goodness. What happened?’”
Detectives say the shooting happened just before 5 am. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene.
“It’s tragic, it’s happening too commonly, and everybody’s too comfortable with it,” Hill said.
If you have any information about any of these incidents, please contact police. You can do so anonymously by calling the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, or by using the P3 tips app at http://p3tips.com.