RICHMOND, Va - Outside OMG Convenience Shop on Nine Mile Road, the number of stuffed teddy bears and balloons has grown in the days since two children were killed, innocent bystanders in a Friday night shooting. Through community advocates, the family of the 14-year-old Raquan Logan confirmed their loved one died in the shooting. The other victim, a nine-year-old, has not been publically identified.
“I love him!” Logan’s sister said at a weekend press conference. To this point, those are the only words the victims’ families have shared publicly.
Community leaders say their pain is evident, though.
“Children who really didn’t get a chance to play football yet. Children who really didn’t get the chance to go to a skating rink or bowling alley. Children who hadn’t even turned 18 yet. This is ridiculous,” said James “JJ” Minor with the Richmond chapter of the NAACP.
Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith said officers worked a "pretty large scene" after they were called to the OMG Convenience Store, along the 3000 block of Nine Mile Road, around 7:30 p.m. Friday. When police arrived, they found two men and two children suffering from gunshot wounds.
The four victims were transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Both children, boys ages 9 and 14, died at the hospital, according to police.
Although police have not released a reason behind the shooting, Minor said all too often shootings in Richmond are related to young people trying to “rep” their neighborhood.
“There’s too much territorial beef that’s going on. We’re asking you all to stop and stop it now,” Minor said. “You have no ownership in it, but you want to represent something you don’t own. We’ve got to change the mindsets of a lot of people. We really do.”
Charles Willis with United Communities Against Crime called on local businesses to stop allowing groups of people from congregating outside their establishment. Willis also called for police to enhance patrols along the Nine Mile Road corridor.
“We are asking that you do that. We are all accountable for this. Not only the community but our businesses also,” Willis said.
“A lot of folks congregate and do things that are not of the community, a lot of leaders in the community will tell you, we didn’t think a nine-year-old or her brother would be killed, but we knew something was bound to happen,” Minor said.
Plans for a memorial to honor the two young victims are in the works.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Major Crimes Detective A. Sleem at 804-814-7123 or contact Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones also may be used. All Crime Stoppers reporting methods are anonymous.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
