HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — A man died Monday after being found shot in the Phoebus High School student parking lot, in a case police are saying wasn’t “school-related.”
On Monday night, police announced a man was in custody in connection to the homicide and charges were pending.
The 38-year-old male victim was found in the back of the student lot around noon, however police claimed that there is evidence to suggest the shooting happened elsewhere.
A spokesperson for Hampton City Schools said Phoebus was put on lockdown as a precautionary measure as police investigated, which was lifted at around 2:30 Monday afternoon.
Parents were still very concerned.
“Finally she did answer the phone and she said ‘mom I’m up under the desk I’m scared mom please come get me,’ said Nicole Clark of her daughter, who was inside the school at the time.
Clark recounts the moments her daughter FaceTimed her inside the school after she sent these messages.
“I just started crying, I called my husband, I couldn’t even dial the number and won’t no need to call the police cause they were already in their way here,” Clark said.
There was not a shooter inside the school, and the students were not in danger, but right outside a man’s life did end.
“I still got some concerns as a parent because it happened on school grounds, and increased I talk to my daughter I’m going to see how she feels cause she still has to go here,” added Clark.
Phoebus High School principal sent out this message :
“Good afternoon, this is James Harris, the principal at Phoebus High School, with an update regarding the shooting that occurred earlier today on Ireland Street.
As I shared earlier, the Hampton Police Division advised us that the situation was not school related. The location where the shooting occurred is still under investigation. However, the preliminary investigation reveals that this incident did not occur on school property. And as I shared earlier, the victim was an adult male, not a Phoebus student.
As of 1:15 p.m. HPD lifted our full lockdown and placed the school on a modified lockdown as a precautionary measure. Please know that a modified lockdown means that the instructional day continues as normal for our students and staff with limited movement in the building. Lunches have been modified. Students who utilize the activity bus for dismissal at 1:30 p.m., were dismissed at approximately 1:40 p.m. to be transported home on their regular bus. Students who drive to school and typically dismiss at 1:30 p.m. were also dismissed at approximately 1:40 p.m. and were escorted to their vehicles as a precautionary measure.
We anticipate that dismissal will occur on time – at 3:09 p.m. If the 3:09 dismissal needs to be modified we will send out additional details beforehand. The Hampton Police Division will continue to maintain a presence on campus. However, due to the proximity to the school and the ongoing investigation, all after-school activities and events are canceled this afternoon at Phoebus High School.
Again please know that everyone is safe and teaching and learning is continuing at Phoebus High and I thank you for your continued support.”