RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond Police identified one person killed in an early Sunday morning triple shooting on West Broad Street about a block away from the VCU Siegel Center.
Erik R. McCorkle, 24, of Highland Springs died as a result of the shooting, police said. The other two victims remain hospitalized; a female is in serious condition, a male has non-life threatening wounds.
The shooting was reported at 2:44 a.m. along 1300 block of West Broad Street.
"[Officers] quickly located three adult victims with gunshot wounds inside the common area of an apartment building," a Richmond Police spokesman said. "Detectives are in the early stages of the investigation, but they believe the shooting stemmed from an argument between two groups of people. No detailed suspect descriptions are yet available."
Police do not believe anyone involved in the shooting is connected to VCU and believe the violence stemmed from a reported argument between two groups of people.
"We know there were many people who witnessed this shooting and have valuable information to share," Major Crimes Captain James J. Laino said. "With the right tip, we can make a quick arrest in this case."
VCU sent a campus wide alert at 2:49 a.m. telling students to stay indoors and avoid the area. An all clear email was sent at 4:09 a.m.
Triple shooting scene near VCU.
This is the second shooting near VCU's campus in a week. Police found a man shot multiple times across from the Siegel Center last Saturday.
Witnesses said that shooting was reportedly also provoked because of an argument.
Kate Stephens, who spotted the commotion outside while on her way to work, said she was alarmed by what happened.
"The street was lined with cops. The streets were shutdown,” Stephens said. "I feel like I should have something to protect myself."
Joseph Kincaid
Joseph Kincaid, whose business, No Limits Nutrition is located near Sunday's triple shooting scene, said no argument should result in gunfire.
"It would be terrible if a student just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and something like that happened to them,” Kincaid said.
And while investigators track down leads and search for the shooter, neighbors Stephens is moving because she said she no longer feels safe in the neighborhood.
"Don't really feel like biking through crime scenes to go to work anymore, so I'm glad I'm doing it,” she said.
Witnesses were asked to call Major Crimes Detective David Burt at 804-646-3913 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.
