HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Two men are dead following a shooting in Hampton early Saturday morning.
Police were called to the 7-Eleven convenience store in the 500 block of Aberdeen Road at 3:16 a.m. for the report of a shooting. When officers arrived on scene, they located two men suffering from gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police later identified the victims as 25-year-old Keshawn Hawkins and 25-year-old Jonathan Johnson Jr.
Police say their investigation revealed that a verbal altercation took place between several individuals inside the store. The altercation continued into the parking lot when individuals from both groups displayed firearms and there was an exchange of gunfire.
HPD released surveillance photos Monday of the alleged suspect as they continue their investigation into the shooting.
One woman who said she saw the entire shooting from her car said that’s not the entire story.
“It wasn’t an altercation in the store,” she said, “It was just two innocent people buying a black and mild and going home with their girlfriends when they were approached by four people that may have been in a gang.”
She said it was a senseless shooting and noted that the four men didn’t rob the victims.
“They just shot him for no reason, no apparent reason at all,” she said.
She said the fear didn’t stop after the shooting. She, along with the girlfriends of the two victims ran to hide in the store because the suspects didn’t leave.
“We were so scared that they didn’t even leave after they shot him up,” the woman said. “We couldn’t even go and see if they were OK because they just scattered around the parking lot.”
One man said the 7-Eleven has a reputation for crime.
“Robberies, fights, this isn’t the first shooting at this location,” he said. “It’s sad…it’s sad.”
If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.
Stay with WAVY.com for updates and additional details.