Tragic events unfolded in Richmond, Virginia on Tuesday at the Huguenot High School graduation ceremony when two people were killed and five were injured in a shooting.
At 5:15 p.m. across from the Altria Theater, where the ceremony was being held, shots were heard and the graduates and families were sent into a panic. Interim Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards reported that a 19-year-old has been apprehended and will face second-degree murder charges.
Among the deceased were an 18-year-old graduate and a 36-year-old attendee of the ceremony. The other victims included a 14-year-old boy and four men aged 31, 32, 55, and 58. The 31-year-old man sustained life threatening injuries and the other four were deemed to be in stable condition. Additionally, more than a dozen people were injured or treated for panic attacks due to the chaos. The witnesses reported hearing up to 30 shots and four firearms were recovered at the scene.
John Willard, a neighbor from the 18th floor of a nearby apartment recalled seeing people running and parents tightly hugging their children. Mayor Levar Stoney declared that the police will do everything in their power to bring those responsible to justice.
The Richmond school district announced that all high school graduations scheduled for this week have been cancelled and all schools will be closed Wednesday. School board member Jonathan Roung explained the scene as a “stampede” of people returning to the building. Superintendent Jason Kamras expressed his exhaustion with seeing “our kids get shot” and pleaded for the community to cease the violence.