SUSSEX COUNTY, Va. — A community will come together Saturday to remember Jarrod Hill, a father and grandfather shot and killed in Waverly in mid-January, while calling for an end to gun violence.
The memorial event will be held at Allen Gibson Junior Community Park, located at 223 Bank Street in Waverly. That is about 2.5 miles from the Sussex Trace Apartments, where 45-year-old Hill was shot and killed on January 14.
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"It's a memorial event in honor of his name, but it's more about talking about gun safety as a whole, right?" said Takiyah Shands, Hill's sister. "There's just a lot of killing going on now, and we want to just bring the community together. Hopefully we can reach some people. We're having some mental health resources out there, some substance misuse resources, because something has to be wrong."
Hill's oldest and only sister said he was a presence that cannot be replaced. Since his death, the family has been navigating a new reality marked by loss — but also resilience.
"It's been hard," Shands said. "It's something that I don't feel like I'll ever get used to, him not being around. Not being able to pick up the phone and call him and talk to him, or even just to be able to see him every once in a while. It's been really hard to deal with."
A 19-year-old suspect is in custody. The shooting appears to have stemmed from an argument.
The family says the gathering is about connection in the face of violence.
"I just want to keep his name out there," Shands said. "I just want people to remember him. He was a good guy. My brother was a good guy. Like I said, he was funny, fun to be around. And he just loved people. He loved doing stuff and helping people all the time."
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