Source: Jackson-Smith Family / Family
This is truly a tragedy following a triumph.
Shawn Jackson, 18, and his 36-year-old father Renzo Smith were both gunned down just moments after Jackson walked the stage as a graduate of Huguenot High School, class of ’23. According to ABC 8 News, a 19-year-old named Amari Ty-Jon Pollard has been arrested and charged with the second-degree murder of both individuals and more charges are likely to come to account for the multiple others who were shot and injured from the ensuing melee.
Shortly after the ceremony, police say that Jackson and Pollard had a confrontation that led the former to retrieve a firearm from his car and open fire into a crowd. Authorities have confirmed that both teens knew each other and had an ongoing beef. Not only were Jackson and Smith killed, but five other men were hit with gunfire, and Jackson’s 9-year-old sister was run over by a car as people scrambled to get away from the scene. She was taken to the hospital, treated and released in short order. One of the other men who was struck is being treated for life-threatening injuries according to NBC News, the other four are said to be non-life-threatening.
“As they heard the gunfire, it was obviously chaos,” said Acting Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards at the scene. “We had hundreds of people in Monroe Park, so people scattered. It was very chaotic at the scene.”
School officials like Superintendent Jason Kamras spoke publicly about the horror and shock of such a celebratory day giving way to violence.
“This is supposed to be a joyous day when our kids walk the stage and get their diploma,” Kamras said, describing how Tuesday’s graduates walked “out the doors into their families’ and friends’ arms, taking pictures. And then this tragedy occurred.”
We hope this Pollard d-head gets hit with every book in the library.
