HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A man who witnessed the aftermath of a shooting that killed the brother of a Washington Football Team player Tuesday at a busy Henrico apartment complex said a higher power told him to intervene.
Henrico Police said the shooting happened just after 4 p.m. in the 7600 block of Wistar Village Drive.
While some people ran away when shots erupted, police said others remained on the scene the help render aid, but it was too late.
EMS pronounced Sweat dead at the scene.
Anthony R. Sweat, who is the the 27-year-old older brother of Washington Football Team player Montez Sweat, was killed, according to Crime Insider sources.
Police confirmed the victim is from Stone Mountain, Georgia, but added that he was known to have ties to the Richmond area.
Witness saw 2 men running away, man lying in grass
When the shots rang out Tuesday afternoon, many in the busy apartment complex ran inside. But one man, who spoke with the Crime Insider Jon Burkett on the condition of anonymity, said a higher power told him to do something.
"He said he heard the shots and by the time I got out of the car, I followed him," the man said.
That man said he witnessed at least two men fleeing the scene as he and an off-duty VCU Police officer who was in the area ran toward a man shot multiple times in the back grass yard of a West End apartment home
“He started CPR on him,” the man remembered. “And I just kind of gripped his hand and held onto him, but it was kind of already too late."
The man was still trying to process what he saw.
"I'm somewhat religious, so my higher power kind of told me to go check it out," the witness said. "And it turned out to be that’s what it was. It’s kind of weird how things work out sometimes."
Coach Rivera: Team is here for Montez
Washington Football Team defensive end Montez Sweat's teammates and coach reacted to his absence from Wednesday's practice.
"When a brother goes through something, we got to feel where they're coming from and we’ve got to comfort them,” defensive tackle Tim Settle said. “It’s about staying together… Things happen all around the league and that’s what makes teams a team.”
Coach Ron Rivera said the team was there for Sweat.
"It is rough and our thoughts and prayers are with the families. But here in the facility we try to make sure that players understand that we are here for them,” Rivera said. “We do have a team sports psychologist – and she’s available."
Police following leads
The killing brings the total number of reported homicides for Henrico County up to 25 for 2021. Last year, there were 15.
The crime was one of four different shootings in Chesterfield, Henrico and Richmond that happened within four hoursthat police are all investigating as homicides.
Police remain tight lipped about the motive in Sweat’s killing, but Crime Insider sources said he did have ties to the area with multiple counts of previous sex trafficking charges. He was convicted on two of the charges, but others were nolle prossed.
Detectives are following a few good leads, sources said.
One suspect ran toward the office complex and the other ran in the direction of the pool, according to Crime Insider sources.
If you have information about the shooting, you can call Detective Ensor at 804-501-5794, Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000, or online at P3Tips.com. Crime Stoppers and P3Tips are both anonymous.
