NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A 17-year-old was killed in a shooting outside a Norfolk gas station Sunday evening.
According to police, the shooting happened around 5:40 p.m. at the 7-Eleven in the 3000 block of East Virginia Beach Boulevard. That is near where it intersects with Ballentine Boulevard.
When police arrived on the scene, they found a 17-year-old male who had been shot. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Joshua Rucker drove out to the 7-Eleven today to see where his friend spent his last moments.
“It’s kind of like, there’s no more tears for it anymore,” he said. “It’s kind of at a point where it’s like what’s next? Like, what do we, what do we do as a community to where we can stop losing our young people to gun violence?”
Video from the scene showed crime tape around a 7-Eleven/BP station and a vehicle with several bullet holes.
“This is another prime example of ongoing violence in the city of Norfolk,” said James Washington Jr, a community member. “Let’s put the guns down.”
Sunday night, police said they had a person of interest in custody. On Monday, they identified the suspect as 32-year-old Jayvon Smith of Norfolk. He’s facing second-degree murder and use of a firearm charges and is in Norfolk City Jail without bond.
Norfolk police haven’t released a motive or details about the moments leading up to the deadly shooting. Rucker says he just wishes people would think before resorting to violence.
“I know we do a lot of stuff for clout. We do a lot of stuff, you know, to appease another person. But you really got to put yourself in a mother’s shoes,” he said. “If your mother was to lose you, how would you feel?”
Community leaders, like Bilal Muhammad from the Stop The Violence Team, say it’s time for the community to get involved with helping youth, not turn a blind eye to violence.
“Prioritize our events where we can become more proactive and do events now so that we can have a better environment safe for our youth,” said Muhammad.
As Rucker still processes the loss of a friend he’s known for over five years, he wants people to put the guns down and talk issues out.
“I want everybody to just calm down, stop all the beef and really focus on like, ‘Hey man. Maybe we need to talk out these real issues and figure out why we even don’t like each other,’” he said.
10 On Your Side is working to learn more.
