RADFORD, Va. – A minor is behind bars and charged with second-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing someone in Radford over the weekend.
“It sounded to be an argument, but I couldn’t really make out everything. And then maybe a few minutes after that I heard the gunshot.”
Deanna Simpkins, neighbor
Deanna Simpkins lives on Downey Street in Radford, right next to the scene of Saturday morning’s deadly shooting. She recounted what she saw that night.
“I saw a boy who came out running to the cops saying that his friend had shot himself. That’s what I was under the impression of at first, but later on we found out it was the other way around.”
Deanna Simpkins, neighbor
Radford police responded just after 2:30 a.m. Saturday. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, though police couldn’t share the victim’s age, gender or identity.
The shooting happened just a short walk from Radford University’s campus, in a neighborhood filled with students, families, fraternity and sorority houses. Police Chief Jerry Holdaway says there’s been a spike in weapon- and gun-related crimes the past six months.
“What we are seeing is something that has historically been a problem for the city of Radford but right now it’s at a magnitude that we’ve not experienced before. We are seeing an outside influence of gang members, people that are undesirable, that are showing up to some of these parties.”
Jerry Holdaway, Radford Police Chief
While there have been a rash of gun-related calls to Radford PD from this area, Chief Holdaway says the majority of the offenders have not been Radford University students.
Still, the recent violence has some neighbors considering moving.
“The crime rate has definitely went up, it used to not be like this, it used to be pretty quiet. But every time you turn around it’s always like, a lot of police presence, crime rate, shootings.”
Deanna Simpkins, neighbor
The juvenile suspect was taken into custody Saturday and charged with second-degree murder, possession of a handgun by a person under 18, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.