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Hostage killed in 9-hour standoff remembered as beloved nurse at Henrico jail

Posted at 6:12 PM, Mar 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-11 20:04:54-05

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Quanta Chandler will be remembered by her coworkers for always looking for a reason to celebrate life.

"Whenever someone wanted to celebrate, she wanted to celebrate us," Debra Taylor said fighting back tears.

Quanta Chandler

Quanta Chandler

Taylor, along with coworkers Liz Buie and Markita Dabney, gathered inside of the administrative offices of the medical wing at the Henrico County Jail to remember the good times with Chandler.

"She was just bright and bubbly all the time," Taylor laughed.

"Two o'clock, six o'clock in the morning or whatever time you saw her smiling and laughing," Buie remarked.

Chandler worked the third shift as a nurse for Correct Care Solutions in the Henrico Jail for four years.

Officers said 33-year-old Quanta Nashall Chandler succumbed to her injuries Friday after being shot by her ex-boyfriend, 36-year-old Andre Lamont Richardson, before he turned the gun on himself. Richardson died from his injuries Saturday.

The incident started early Friday morning inside Chandler's home in the 3100 block of Collins Road near Mechanicsville Turnpike in the East End.

According to Crime Insider sources, Richardson broke into Chandler's house around 3 a.m. That’s when he held a gun to her two cousins, forcing them to leave, while keeping her inside the home.

"Nobody ever thought this would happen to her," Taylor said.

The women were glued to their cell phones Friday waiting for the call that their friend might make it out of the hostage situation alive.

Chandler's coworkers

Chandler's coworkers

"The hardest part was in the beginning not knowing if she was OK and the thought that maybe she'd be alright," Taylor remembered. "But she wasn’t. That hit like a ton of bricks. It was unreal."

For these friends understanding why this tragedy happened seems impossible. But, they say they have the support of each other, the law enforcement community, and the family of a beloved nurse.

"To her family we loved her, and whatever you need now and days to come we are here, because you are our family, too," Taylor cried.

Their deaths are being investigated as a murder-suicide and detectives continue to look into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

This is a developing story. Neighbors and witnesses can submit news updates here.

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