RICHMOND, Va. — A mass shooting in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom entertainment district early Saturday morning left two people dead and seven others wounded in what police say started as a fistfight before escalating when multiple people pulled out guns.
The shooting happened just after 2:45 a.m. in the 000 block of North 18th Street, prompting one of the largest crime scene investigations Richmond police have processed this year.
The victims
Police have identified the two people killed as Genesis Jones, 23, of Petersburg, and Dominic Jackson, 42, of Henrico County.
Jones was in Shockoe Bottom celebrating her brother's birthday when the shooting occurred. Her brother Zekiah told CBS 6 that Genesis was simply walking through the area when she was caught in the chaos.
"She was about good vibes, wanting everybody to have a good time and get along," Zekiah said. "She was the life of the party."
Jackson was a father of two and soon-to-be grandfather, according to family members.
Seven other people were taken to local hospitals for treatment. One woman remains in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, while six others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. All victims were adults ranging in age from 23 to 42.
WATCH: Mayor, police chief give update after deadly Richmond mass shooting
What happened
Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said an officer was patrolling the area when she noticed a commotion in the middle of the block and found one woman deceased at the scene.
"What started as fist fighting, and there were members who came in and tried to break that up, but quickly escalated as people pulled out guns," Mayor Danny Avula said during a news conference.
Edwards confirmed the incident did not originate inside any establishment, as all bars were closed at 2 a.m.
"This was people hanging out on the streets. Two groups of individuals started fighting," Edwards said.
Police are investigating whether the groups may have encountered each other earlier in the evening. Surveillance video shows the confrontation progressing from a verbal argument to a physical fight before guns were drawn.
The investigation
Investigators recovered over 50 shell casings and multiple firearms from the scene, with six cars towed as evidence. The ATF is assisting with ballistic analysis.
"There were multiple individuals shooting," Edwards said, declining to provide a specific number of suspects.
Police are seeking video evidence from the community, particularly from people who may have filmed the initial fight.
Local News
Police ID victims, recover 50+ shell casings in Richmond mass shooting
City response
Avula called the shooting "absolutely unacceptable" and said Richmond will accelerate gun violence prevention efforts through its Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
The city plans to implement a community ambassador program that would deploy workers to help people get home safely as bars close, rather than loitering in the streets.
CBS 6 is giving you a voice. Have a news tip or concern in your community?
Connect with WTVR: newstips@wtvr.com
Edwards provided stark context about Richmond's gun problem, noting the city seizes about 1,800 firearms annually - roughly one-third as many as the entire New York City Police Department despite being much smaller.
"The sheer amount of guns that are on the streets of our city is shocking," Edwards said.
His message to visitors: "Leave your guns at home. You can't make good decisions, and you can't have a normal fight if you're armed."
Local News
PHOTOS: 9 shot, 2 killed, in Richmond mass shooting
How to help
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call Major Crimes Detective J. DeBoard at 804-646-6795 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. Video evidence can be sent to 804-546-7323.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: 9 people wounded, 2 killed, in Richmond mass shooting
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Shockoe Bottom Mass Shooting
-
These bar workers 'never heard gunshots happen for that long'
-
Police ID victims, recover 50+ shell casings in Richmond mass shooting
-
Brother remembers sister killed in Richmond shooting as 'life of the party’
-
Police chief: Officer saw 'large fight' seconds before Richmond mass shooting
-
Shockoe Bottom Shooting: 23-year-old woman among victims in mass shooting
-
More Richmond News
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
