PETERSBURG, Va. — A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 28, at noon at Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Petersburg for Genesis Jones, one of the two people killed in a mass shooting in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom last weekend. A public visitation will be held on Friday, Feb. 27, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Petersburg Chapel of Bland Funeral Home.
Jones was killed early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom neighborhood, leaving two people dead and seven others injured. The mass shooting marks the city's most violent incident so far in 2026.
The 23-year-old was in the city's entertainment district with loved ones to celebrate her younger brother's birthday when the shooting occurred.
Richmond Police said Jones was not part of any argument or altercation before the shooting. She was simply walking through the area when she was caught in the chaos, according to her older brother, Zekiah Jones.
The night had been full of good vibes until gunfire erupted, Jones told CBS 6.
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"We were outside of Mamacita's, we heard a few shots go off, like 10 to 15 shots," he said. "One of them actually went past my head and hit the building."
Minutes later, friends arrived and shared that Genesis had been hit and killed.
The Jones family is remembering her as a vibrant, beloved young woman who loved bringing people together.
"She was the life of the party," Jones said. "She was so young... She didn't have a chance to really live life yet. She's still a baby."
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