NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — On Saturday morning, the loved ones of reporter Sierra Jenkins gathered in Norfolk for her funeral.
Jenkins was one of five people shot outside Chicho’s Backstage on March 19. Devon M. Harris, who recently played semi-pro football for the Virginia Beach Rhinos, was also killed.
The funeral was held about 10 miles up Granby Street from where the fatal shooting happened.
In the days after she was killed, 10 On Your Side spoke to several of her friends, relatives and collegues.
“Sean is very sweet. He’s like ‘Sierra sorry if I’m waking you up, but there’s a big incident downtown and we need you to get on it as soon as possible,’” said fellow Virginian-Pilot reporter Jane Harper. “He called three times and she never answered.”
Her editor, Briant Root, said Jenkins was one of those reporters he just knew had a bright future ahead.
“She believed very much in local journalism. She believed it was important. She believed it could be a force for good in the world and she wanted to be a part of it,” he said. “She wanted to make her mark in it. And instead, this happened and it’s not fair.”
Her father said the glasses she had on that night were a staple of hers.
“She had those glasses on that night and I will hold on to those forever,” her father Maurice Jenkins said.
Maurice got the call from Sierra’s mother and went to the hospital that night. He said he’s upset about how he was treated, saying it was cold.
“I never saw a doctor. I was never able to go into the hospital. I was just standing in front of the emergency room for someone. They came out and showed me a picture on a cell phone of her laying in a bed,” he said.
Since then, Maurice Jenkins has had time to digest what else is wrong: No suspect, no motive, no cameras, no images of the shooter who took his daughter from him.
“If they had surveillance, it would be plastered all over the TV. If you see this guy, call 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, right? We don’t have that, so I believe there was no surveillance video is the truth… there is none,” he said.
He faults the City of Norfolk for failure to have that extra blanket of security: security cameras.
The funeral service for Devon Malik Harris is set for Monday, April 4, 12:00 pm at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church at 2714 Frederick Boulevard, in Portsmouth, Virginia.