Spilled drink led to deadly Virginia shooting, police chief says

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Virginia police chief said a spilled drink launched an argument that ended in a shooting that killed two people, including a reporter, and injured three others outside a downtown restaurant and bar over the weekend.

“This is another incident in which conflict resolution did not exist,” Norfolk Chief Larry Boone told the Downtown Norfolk Civic League on Monday night.

According to police, the call for the shooting came in around 1:55 a.m. Saturday in the city’s downtown business district. Of the five people shot, Sierra Jenkins, a reporter for The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press, and Devon “Malik” Harris of Portsmouth, both 25, died of their injuries.

Boone said the argument began inside Chicho’s Pizza Backstage. No suspect was immediately identified.

“We don’t have any hard and fast leads right now on that individual,” Boone said. “I am cautiously optimistic based on where this occurred that we will make an arrest.”

He said witnesses are still being interviewed and reward money is being considered.

These were the first statements Boone made since the shooting. He had declined WAVY’s previous requests for an interview. Norfolk police have not immediately responded to questions about what happened on the public street.

Boone said an increased police presence will begin in the area on Thursday, even though the department is facing an “astronomical” shortage of more than 200 officers — a number with at least 60 additional vacancies than reported last year.

Boone said the extra personnel will come from specialty units to complement officers who patrol the downtown area.

Boone said officers will work to close the street where the shooting happened to vehicle traffic around the time bars and clubs close in order to “funnel” people to their cars. Boone said the strategy worked well last summer after several shootings in the Neon District.

“We saw a drastic, drastic reduction in our shootings,” Boone said.

He also plans to ask the Norfolk City Council if it would approve the use of surveillance cameras and drones at special events.

“Those types of things that tell folks they are being watched changes behavior,” Boone said.

The topic of making downtown safer has been growing over the last several years as more shootings have occurred in the area. Late last year, the City Council went as far as to shut down clubs after multiple shootings happened outside.

In Norfolk alone, the police have reported 26 shooting incidents since Jan. 1, excluding this weekend’s violence.

But the violence was not just limited to Norfolk. Sixteen people were shot in six of the seven cities over the weekend, and four of them died.

In 2021, 530 gunshot wound patients were treated at Norfolk General Hospital, which is the region’s trauma center. In 2019, 300 gunshot wound patients were treated there. Norfolk General saw a 76% increase in gunshot victims over the last three years. 

“There used to be a time, folks, when we knew when shootings were going to occur,” Boone said. “In the last two years, it’s hard to identify where they are going to occur so we can take some proactive measures. It’s a different world that we live in right now.”

On Saturday, Norfolk’s Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi sent his condolences in a social media post: “Locally, we will do our utmost to seek justice and accountability with the laws we have, but the solutions to gun violence start with good personal choices and sensible reforms to our national and state laws to keep guns out of the hands of bad actors. We must come together.”

He urged anyone with surveillance footage, cell phone video or information to contact Norfolk police.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin also shared his condolences: Our hearts are breaking for the lives lost in Norfolk, including Sierra Jenkins. The First Lady and I are praying for their families, friends, and the Virginian-Pilot community.

Those with information 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.

Source: Fox 8 News Channel