HOPEWELL, Va. -- A deadly double shooting in a Hopewell neighborhood is leaving a community shocked.
35-year-old Jessica Collins and her friend 33-year-old Robert Bryant Jr. were found inside a crashed car near Arlington Park in Hopewell on Wednesday, the two suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Officers attempted CPR but both were pronounced dead at the scene.
"It's disturbing that we have individuals on the streets that have no regard for people's safety. This was a residential area with families at home asleep," Hopewell Police Chief A.J. Starke said.
Mayor Johnny Partin said violence like this is why they have recently partnered with the state.
"We are not piecemealing the program like other localities have. We are all in with Operation Ceasefire," Partin said.
Ceasefire is a state initiative to support strategies that will reduce violent crime in the Commonwealth while implementing effective solutions to intercept and eliminate local cycles of violence.
"The city is doing the best we can to upgrade technology. Come up with effective ways of community policing. We continue to ask for state support but we have to have people coming forward with information," Partin said.
This information could help detectives find out who killed the single mother of two teens.
While police don't believe the double homicide was random, Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that Bryant was targeted in a shooting earlier this month. Collins was believed to be an innocent passenger.
"People are so reckless. They don't care who they hit. They don't care what's going on or who lives here. My daughter's bedroom is on the front of this house. Nobody cares," Kierra Baker, a Hopewell mom, said.
Baker said she yelled at her kids to hit the floor when she heard the gunshots around 2 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that detectives are looking for at least two suspects and are using all resources to help them in this case.
Jessica's family has started a GoFundMe in her memory. To donate, click here.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
