RICHMOND, Va. -- Two children are dead and two men are critically injured following a shooting on Richmond's East End Friday night.
Police responded to the 3000 block of Nine Mile Road for a report of shots fired at the OMG Convenience Store around 7:30 p.m.
When officers arrived, they found two men and two children with gunshot wounds.
All four victims were transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Both children, boys ages 9 and 14, died at the hospital, according to police.
Police said the boys were not related, but would not say if they were related to the adult victims.
The Medical Examiner will determine their cause and manner of death, officers said.
Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith said during a news conference Saturday morning that officers were still in the early stages of their investigation.
"Detectives stayed up very well late into the early hour morning, reviewing video and scouring as much information as they can," Smith said. "We spent quite a few hours out there on the scene itself. Detectives left there, went back to the station and just started reviewing as much video as they could."
Mayor Levar Stoney said the police department will "exhaust every lead possible to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime senseless act to justice."
"When we lose a life in the city, particularly the life of a child, ...I have trouble sleeping at night. When I hear something like that happens, I've stated once before, we have been fighting an epidemic of gun violence in the city for decades. We have to ask ourselves, when does it stop? Because at this rate the next person, the next baby in the next child, could be your child."
Stoney also urged anyone who saw anything to come forward.
"If you see anything on social media that may be connected to this crime, please report it to the Richmond Police Department," Stoney said. "We will do everything in our power to bring these individuals to justice and we're requesting your help."
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Major Crimes Detective A. Sleem at 804-814-7123 or contact Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones also may be used. All Crime Stoppers reporting methods are anonymous.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
