A high school graduation ceremony in Richmond, Virginia, turned into a horror scene as the shooting unfolded on Tuesday evening. The police have detained nineteen-year-old Amari Pollard Shooting suspect.
The shooting occurred outside the Altria Theater, causing panic among the attendees, many of whom were wearing graduation gowns. Police Chief Rick Edwards described the scene as chaotic, with people scattering in fear.
Eighteen-year-old Shawn Jackson, a recent graduate, and his stepfather, 36-year-old Renzo Smith, lost their lives in the incident. Five others were injured and have since recovered.
During the chaos, a nine-year-old girl related to the family was accidentally hit by a car but sustained only minor injuries.
Pollard now faces two counts of second-degree murder and is being held without bail. As the investigation continues, authorities are considering further charges against Pollard. He is said to return to court on June 21.
Also Read: Spencerport Ny Taylor Nenni Obituary And Death Cause: Family Mourns The Loss
Virginia Graduation Shooting: Who Is Amari Pollard? Wikipedia And Age
Amari Pollard, a 19-year-old shooter, has been in the eyes of the public following the tragic graduation shooting that took two lives from a single family.
While little is known about Pollard, it has been established that he had an ongoing dispute with the victims, implying a possible connection between them.
The suspect’s parents’ identity is not disclosed, nor have they given any statements. The fact that he could arrange the gun with the motive to shoot the victims adds to speculation that his family lived nearby.
The fact that he targeted both the son and the father has led to speculations that he knew the victim’s family personally.
While some media portals have mentioned that they were neighbors, no official statements have been revealed by the police on that matter.
The suspects’ school and education are still unknown. Likewise, it has not been revealed if he was one of the students who graduated that day. Despite inconclusive evidence, he is known to have attended the ceremony that day.
The 19-year-old is believed to have attended the graduation before going outside to have some kind of ‘interaction’ with Jackson. Shortly after that, he went to his car to retrieve a handgun to formulate his plan for killing.
Despite not knowing much about Pollard, with all the evidence pointing against him, we can safely say that he was an unguided teen who lacked proper guidance to distinguish between right and wrong.
Virginia Graduation Shooting Amari Pollard Arrested And Mugshot
Caught soon after the incident, Pollard was arraigned Wednesday morning on two counts of second-degree murder. Following this, his mugshot photos have been released to the public.
Unlike many other suspects, his mugshot photographs show no signs of violence. This indicates that he did not try to escape or resist the police after the incident.
The Richmond native can be seen wearing a pink prison suit with a blank expression on his face in the mugshot. He is in police custody, and the reasons for his violence are being investigated.
Shortly after his arrest, the Justice Department filed a motion requesting the court to stay any injunction he may issue until the government determines whether to appeal his verdict and until any appeal is determined.
As informed by the police, the 19-year-old suspect said that he intended to hire an attorney, so the court continued the case until a hearing later this month.
Pollard was ordered held without bond. Court records have not immediately listed an attorney who could speak on his behalf. However, more information is expected to unfold as the proceedings continue.
You May Also Like: Baltimore Malachi Brown Accident And Injury: Construction Zone Traffic Collision
