RICHMOND, Va. -- Surveillance video captured the scary moments when a gunman opened fire outside a convenience store on Richmond's Northside Thursday night. Three people were shot and two victims suffered life-threatening injuries, according to police.
It happened at the Carolina Express in the 3100 block of Meadowbridge Road.
Less than 24 hours later, bullet holes and broken glass doors still remained.
"I find it to be very unfortunate," Marvin Trusty, who has lived nearby for decades, said. "I really do. I think it's sad."
Trusty said that whatever the reason behind violence, it was a selfish act by the shooter.
"You don't have to shoot up a store," he said. "When you got a beef, if you got a beef with one individual, you don't have to spray. It could be anybody coming out of this door. It could be your grandma, it could be your granddaughter."
Surveillance video obtained by WTVR CBS 6 showed several people were standing inside and outside the store just after 8 p.m.
The people outside react first as the shooter appears to come from behind a fence across the street and opens fire.
Apparent muzzle flashes are visible in the top section of the video while the inside camera shows at least two bullets crash through the door as the people dive to the floor.
A clerk at the store reported hearing about 20 shots. He said that no sort of argument happened before the shooting.
While the store works to repair the damage, scars remain from one that happened nearby in August that injured four people.
Trusty said he made a callback to that as he walked into the store Friday before realizing what had happened.
Whoever the shooter was in both situations, Trusty said their actions not only impacts the people at the time, but the store and entire neighborhood.
"I'm sure you have a lot of people who do say, 'I'm not coming up to that store,' simply based on the fact that somebody sprayed it last night," Trusty said. "How is that serving the community when you've disenfranchised somebody here actually trying to provide for the community."
An emergency community meeting is planned for Sunday in the wake of the shooting.
Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson organized the meeting, which will take place at the Six Points Innovation Center at 3001 Meadowbridge Road.
Organizers said doors will open at 5 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. (There is also a Zoom linkfor those who cannot attend in-person.)
If you have information that could help detectives, call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000 or submit a tip online at www.7801000.com. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones may also be used. All three Crime Stoppers methods of contact are anonymous.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
