RICHMOND, Va. -- Friends, family and community members gathered Sunday to honor the life of the Armstrong High School school student killed outside an East Richmond apartment complex last week.
Dashawn Cox was shot at the Ashley Oaks Apartments in the 1400 block of Jennie Scher Road just before 4:40 p.m. Thursday.
When police arrived, they found the 17-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Crime Insider sources said the boy suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.
RELATED: Police share key clue in Dashawn Cox murder
More than 100 community members, city leaders and loved ones wearing Armstrong colors in Cox’s honor gathered Sunday at the spot where he was killed.
The 17-year-old senior at Armstrong, who was known as Dada, was remembered as a bright young man who loved his family and was an avid reader.
Cox’s adoptive sister, Shaun Brown, is still trying to process the loss.
“I just can’t wrap my head around it,” she said. “It’s like I’m gonna go to sleep and this will be a dream, but this is not a dream. This is real life, and this has happened to us.”
Cox’s mother, Berthenia Hope-Brown, tried to speak through the pain.
"That bullet, whoever put it through my baby's head, you put it through my heart,” Hope-Brown cried. “I hope nobody out here will have to go through this, but it hurts. It hurts.”
Richmond leaders, including RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras, said they were saddened by the loss.
“Truth be told, I’ve been to so many vigils like this, I can’t even keep count," Kamras said. “I quite literally don’t know what to do anymore, and I don’t know what to say anymore.”
School Board member Cheryl Burke vowed to take action to help curb violence following Cox’s death.
“The mayor is providing sports and activities, and it’s still not enough," Burke said. "You all tell us what to do."
She and other leaders invited the community to a meeting Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Powhatan Community Center to discuss possible solutions to prevent another young life from being taken.
No arrests have been made in the case.
Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith said Thursday that officers had been reviewing surveillance cameras.
“We've been here canvassing the area and will talk on the side to our confidential informants to see what we can find out," Smith said.
There have been six homicides in Richmond so far in 2022.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Major Crimes Detective Darnell at 804-646-3927 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000 with anonymous tips.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
