3 Henrico men arrested in deadly Shockoe Bottom mass shooting, police say

RICHMOND, Va. — Three men from Henrico County have been charged with first-degree murder in connection with a deadly mass shooting in Shockoe Bottom two weeks ago, Richmond Police announced during a news conference on Saturday.

Richmond Mayor Danny Avula and Police Chief Rick Edwards said the shooting was a preventable tragedy fueled by alcohol and easy access to guns.

"This is an incident that just did not need to happen," Avula said. "This was a conflict that was fueled by alcohol, that was escalated by quick access to guns, and the whole thing absolutely could have been avoided."

WATCH: 3 Henrico men arrested in deadly Shockoe Bottom mass shooting, police say

The three men charged are:

• Drevon Jackson-Brown, 25, of Henrico County, charged with first-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Jackson-Brown was taken into custody minutes before the news conference.
  
• Carlos Johnson Jr., 26, of Henrico County, charged with first-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Johnson was arrested Thursday night.
  
• Shaquan Morris, 22, of Henrico County, charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Morris was arrested early Friday morning.

The police chief confirmed Jackson-Brown is the brother of Dominic Jackson, who was killed in the shooting.

Edwards said charges against Johnson and Morris were taken out on Thursday, and two of the three men were arrested before the news conference. Jackson-Brown and Morris had not yet been arraigned as of Saturday. All three are expected to appear in court Monday.

The gunfire was reported around 2:47 a.m. on Feb. 21 on North 18th Street. According to Edwards, an officer was already in the area and saw a large commotion — what appeared to be a fight in the street with cars speeding away. She responded within seconds and found a woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Provided to WTVR

Twenty-three-year-old Genesis Jones, of Petersburg, and the 42-year-old Jackson, of Henrico, were killed in the shooting.

Jones, who was in Shockoe Bottom celebrating her brother's birthday, was simply walking through the area when she was caught in the chaos, according to her brother, Zekiah Jones.

“From what the police are telling me, she was not a part of it… She was about good vibes, wanting everybody to have a good time and get along,” he said in a previous interview.

Zekiah described his sister as “the life of the party,” someone who loved bringing people together. “She’s going to be truly missed,” he said.

WATCH: Suspect arrested in Shockoe Bottom shooting is brother of man killed, police chief says

Jackson was a father of two and a soon-to-be grandfather, according to family members.

Nine people, ranging in age from 23 to 42, were shot. Edwards said Saturday that the injuries of the seven other people wounded are non-life-threatening.

"We are very pleased about that, Edwards said. "Originally, we thought there could have been more fatalities, but we were lucky."

Edwards said the investigation was complex, involving analysis of video submitted by the public, Flock license plate reader technology, and coordination with multiple law enforcement partners. He credited lead detective Jacob DeBoard, Sergeant Mike Goldman, and the Major Crimes Division's forensic investigators, who he said had not had a day off since the shooting.

"This was an incredibly difficult crime scene to manage. This was an incredibly complicated case — that's why it took us two weeks," Edwards said.

Ian Kaufmann, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Richmond Field Office, said the bureau established a tip line, analyzed still images and video shared by the community, and worked with Richmond Police to build a timeline for use in prosecution. ATF Resident Agent in Charge Joe Norman said the ATF used the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, and eTrace to support the investigation.

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Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney Colette McEachin said her office is committed to prosecuting the cases to the fullest extent of the law.

"I look forward to the criminal justice process doing what it does, which is providing public safety and also protecting the constitutional rights of those people who have been charged," McEachin said.

Richmond City Council President Cynthia Newbille said city leaders have already begun implementing safety strategies in Shockoe Bottom following meetings with business owners in the district.

"We want people to come to visit, to experience the restaurants, to experience the businesses, the activities, the events, but we want you to leave your guns at home," Newbille said.

Edwards said police have changed their approach to securing Shockoe Bottom on weekend nights, moving to a model that uses only First Precinct officers — who know the area well — supplemented by overtime staffing to handle 911 calls and emergency response citywide. He said the shooting sparked off outside of the clubs, not inside, based on the investigation so far.

FULL NEWS CONFERENCE: Police announce arrests in deadly Shockoe Bottom mass shooting

Edwards also addressed the broader question of whether bringing a gun to a social event makes people safer, pushing back firmly on that idea.

"Many of the individuals — these are not hardened criminals. These are people that brought guns to a social event, found themselves in a situation and made terrible decisions that cost two people their lives and wounded other people," Edwards said.

"Over 50 shots were fired because people chose to engage in a physical fight with guns in their hands. This could have been just a normal fight where we had some bumps and bruises. People go home about their lives and forget about it," Edwards said.

Greg Hopkins, director of the city's Office of Gun Violence Prevention, said a new ambassador program is being launched to work with nightclub owners, promoters, and DJs to promote safety and de-escalation in entertainment venues. He said Operation Safe Shockoe will run from April through December 2026.

WATCH: Bar workers on Shockoe Bottom mass shooting: 'I've never heard gunshots happen for that long'

Avula said the city will continue to pursue both enforcement and prevention strategies, but called for a broader cultural shift.

"There's also a behavioral and cultural change that needs to happen," Avula said. "We need this to be a place where people can enjoy themselves, where people can connect to other people in community, and do so without ending lives needlessly."

Both Avula and Edwards directed a message to anyone visiting Richmond's entertainment districts as warmer weather approaches.

"I want people to come to our city. I want people to have a good time. I want people to be down in Shockoe Bottom, but I want people to know that you are welcome, but your guns are not," Avula said.

"You can never make a good decision if you're armed and intoxicated. And unfortunately, that's what we saw," Edwards said.

Anyone with information about the Shockoe Bottom shooting was asked to call Major Crimes Detective J. DeBoard at 804-646-6795 or contact Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app can also be used. All Crime Stoppers reporting methods are anonymous.