RICHMOND, Va. β Police identified the man was shot and killed outside Fifth Baptist Church in Richmond Wednesday afternoon during a repast, where family and friends share meals and memories of a deceased loved one after a funeral, as 36-year-old Kwaivon Dejesus, of Richmond.
The shooting occurred around 4:30 p.m. on the steps of the church in the 1400 block of West Cary Street. According to witnesses, an argument broke out during the gathering and escalated into deadly gunfire.
"It was a shooting outside the church on the steps. We were out taking pictures and an argument broke out," said a woman who identified herself as a cousin to the victim. "I'm very frustrated, because it's senseless."
The Dejesus was shot in the back multiple times and taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards.
"There was some sort of argument before and it escalated into gunfire. These verbal disputes escalate into physical violence then the guns come out, and I think this is just a perfect example of why if you're the type of person that can't handle conflict well, you should leave your guns at home," Edwards said.
Police used a K-9 unit to search for evidence while forensics teams collected materials from the scene.
"There were multiple cartridge casings out at this scene, but it doesn't appear that there was a switch. We do have a lot of strong leads so detectives are homing in on their suspect and making a lot of progress," Edwards said.
Dejesus's cousin, who was previously shot in 2012, described the trauma of witnessing violence firsthand and said it will take time and mental strength to get through another tragedy.
"I've seen it first hand, telling them not to argue, trying to keep them from arguing, being in the middle and running myself trying to not get shot because I've already been shot before," she said.
As of 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, the suspect remained at large. The investigation is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
