PETERSBURG, Va. -- Staff, students and alumni of the Maggie Walker Governor’s School are mourning the murder of a 2014 graduate who was shot and killed in Petersburg Monday night.
Nineteen-year-old Shaakira Ross was alone in a car on Fort Rice Street when police found her at about 10 p.m. Monday.
“The emergency medical crew transported Ms. Ross to Southside Regional Medical Center where she succumbed to her injuries,” a Petersburg Police spokeswoman wrote in an email. “Police do not have suspect information, yet, but are encouraged that the community will help to solve the death of Shaakira Ross.”
Darleen Bowman, who is the attendance officer at Maggie Walker, said she selected Ross to work in her office as her assistant.
“She would be in that chair eating something laughing talking,” Bowman said about an empty chair in her office that Ross frequently sat in.
Bowman, who has two daughters of her own, said she thought of Ross as another daughter.
“She was really one of mine,” Bowman said.
While working in Bowman’s office, Ross handed out passes and stopped kids who came in late.
“Some of them think they can just go ahead on, oh the bell, just rang, I’m going make it, and she would be like uh-uhh, you know you’re late,” Bowman said.
Bowman remembers Ross as full of life, and said she could not believe it when she learned the Maggie Walker graduate was killed.
“I was devastated,” Bowman said.
Ross’s guidance counselor said the former peer mentor showed a lot of promise at Maggie Walker.
“She had dreams for herself, wanting to be a nurse, wanting to go to college,” Davis said.
Davis said she also had a playful side.
“When I’d see her, especially if she was by herself, I would say “Shaakira, Shaakira” and she would role her eyes at me…I always would think about the singer and the hips don’t lie,” Davis said.
