RICHMOND, Va. – The victims in Tuesday night’s double shooting on Thorndale Lane were both 30, and the incident is being investigated as possibly drug-related.
Just before 10 p.m., officers were called to the 5700 block of Thorndale Lane, where they found two males suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, inside the home.
Veka “Shawn” Chham, 30, of the 300 block of South Dearing Avenue, Fresno, California, was located in an upstairs room. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.
The other male, Akeem J. Williams, 30, of the 300 block of East 11th Street, Richmond, was found dead on the first floor of the building. Neighbors said he lived on Thorndale, with his girlfriend.
This is not a double homicide, according to police, who have labeled Chham’s death a homicide, and have opened a death investigation for Williams.
The Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of the deaths. Detectives continue to collect evidence and speak to neighbors; and said they are working strong leads in this case.
David Johnson says his apartment complex in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Richmond sits in a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood, and the shooting worries him. Another neighbor who did not want to be identified for safety reasons found additional bullet holes.
“There was another red vehicle and it had a whole lot of bullet holes in it,” she said.
Neighbors say the Tuesday night altercation started outside at the Morningside Apartment Homes and then moved inside.
They heard between six and seven gunshots, something this woman said she’s heard before.
There was another violent shooting nearby in June 2015. Police said two men broke into a man’s apartment and tried to rob him. They shot him and he survived.
Then a few months ago, a bullet came through her second story window and ripped a curtain. She never found out who fired the gun.
The three incidents involving gunfire has this woman demanding a stronger police presence in the neighborhood.
“Usually, we have more police over this way, more security across the street, now we don’t have none of that,” she said.
Akeem was previously arrested for possession of cocaine and marijuana.
Chham was arrested in Oregon with possession with intent to distribute oxycontin. He had 2,000 pills stashed in a Arizona tea can, according to the Oregonian.
Detectives ask anyone with information to call Major Crimes Detective Jon Bridges at 804-646-4494 or Crime Stoppers at 824-780-1000. Citizens can also text Crime Stoppers at 274637, using the key word “ITip” followed by your tip. Both Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.
