RICHMOND, Va. -- A 19-year-old woman shot during a dispute outside a Richmond gas station has died, according to Richmond Police. Just after 5 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to the 6100 block of Jahnke Road and found her body in the parking lot.
An employee at a nearby business said he heard the gunfire and ran over to see what happened. He said the victim was shot in the chest and he saw a man holding a gun jump into a black mini-van and drive away.
Police offered more of a description of the suspect Sunday in the hope someone saw something that could help the investigation.
"The suspect is described as a thin, young, dark-skinned black male wearing a white tee-shirt," Richmond Police spokesman Gene Lepley wrote in an email. "He fled the scene in a dark-colored vehicle."
Richmond’s new police chief Alfred Durham arrived at the shooting scene Saturday to talk to his detectives and address the media.
Sandra Jones covered Saturday's shooting and filed the report below:
"This is my police department. This is my community, and it's important for me to be out here,” Durham explained. "We are interviewing witnesses. Again, we are early into the investigation, but any help the public gives us we need it."
When asked about the spike in violent crime over the past few days, Durham commented that in the city’s time of need, the public has been a great resource.
"Well, shootings are always a concern, but we have some leads thanks to the community," Durham explained.
The was Richmond's third homicide of the year, police said.
Tipsters were asked to call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.
