RICHMOND, Va. — Qvaunta Johnson was shot and killed in Richmond's East End this weekend shortly after his release from prison, where he had been serving time on a gun charge. His mother says she believes the murder was motivated by a years-old grudge — and that his killer knew he was unarmed.
Richmond Police say 23-year-old Johnson was one of two men shot on Bethel Street late Sunday night. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The second man suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
His mother, Michelle Smith, said her last conversation with her son was about food she was leaving him before she left for a beach trip.
"He wanted me to cook on the grill. I said no, I'm not doing that. I'm gonna get you some hot dogs, put them in the air fryer, it's gonna look like it's from the grill. His plate is still at the table," Smith said.
Hours later, Johnson was dead.
"That's the love of my life. At 12:37, he died," she said.
Smith said she has confidence Richmond Police will catch her son's killer. She believes the shooting stems from an argument Johnson had years ago — a disagreement she says he had tried to resolve multiple times since his release from jail.
"Why does everybody need a gun? I mean, nobody knows how to fight? Nobody knows how to fight, no more, huh? You have this powerful weapon, you think you're God. You can't play the role of God. You will be judged at the end of the day," Smith said.
Smith said she could not bring herself to view her son's body at the hospital.
"I didn't look at my son's body in the hospital," she said. "I'm just pretending he's asleep."
Johnson had been working at a retail store, setting up end caps, after his release. His family is asking for information about his killer and is also seeking help funding his funeral through a GoFundMe. Click here to view the fundraiser.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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