RICHMOND, Va. -- Tyshawn Wyatt, a young man known for his boxing skills in the community, was killed after he was shot multiple times in Hillside Court on March 5.
"I pray for this family. I'm a part of this family and to have this happen right after, in this building, his sister was worshipping that morning, is devastating," Pastor Valerie Coley said.
Fighting for his life at VCU Medical Center is Tyshawn's father. Multiple Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that he is the man who was shot several times in the 1900 block of Maury Street around 4 p.m. on Friday.
"I truly believe there's a war going on in the Southside. I knew when they had that major fight at George Wythe last week that it would be taken out into the streets," Coley said.
Coley tries to sty ahead of the violence. She said reducing violent crime means going after and cutting off the glaring problem.
"First and foremost, how are the guns getting into our community? See, that's the snake's head," Coley said.
So far in March, there have been six homicide investigations in 13 days. 29 people have been shot so far this year.
Coley said the statistics show that intervention is a necessity.
"There's a great deal of self-hate concerning my people and my mission is to get my people to stop blaming others for their actions that we are doing ourselves. We blame the system, we blame all of these things instead of looking in the mirror and saying it is, it is I who wants to take that brother or that sister's life. It is I that has a problem with anger that I am thinking maliciously," Coley said.
Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that two people have been arrested in connection with the Southside Plaza McDonald's murder that happened on March 5.
Anyone with information about violent crimes in the city is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
