19-year-old arrested in slaying of Highland Springs student
Henrico County
Brandon T. Garlick had a brief court appearance today and was jailed without bond.
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Henrico County police have arrested a 19-year-old Highland Springs man and charged him with murder in the shooting death Monday night of a pregnant Highland Springs High School student.
Authorities charged Brandon T. Garlick with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in a felony in connection with the death of Wazira Harris, an 18-year-old high school senior. Garlick made a brief appearance this morning in Henrico County General District Court and was given a tentative date of June 17 for his next court appearance.
He has been jailed with no bond.
Harris was apparently shot in the back as she fled a fight involving as many as 30 young people at an apartment complex just blocks from the school.
Police said Harris was taken in a private car to Richmond Community Hospital, where she died.
One witness, who called 911 at 9:17 p.m., said he heard as many as eight gunshots in the 300 block of East Beal Street at the Highland Woods apartment complex.
Harris' family, who live in the 400 block of South Kalmia Avenue, declined comment yesterday, saying only that her loss is a private matter that has caused immeasurable grief, especially for the victim's two siblings.
Highland Springs students were offered counseling services yesterday, according to school officials.
Harris' death adds to a toll over the past two years that has taken a half-dozen lives among Highland Springs students, young people or apparent bystanders who live or work in the Highland Springs area.
On April 12, Chinese restaurant deliveryman Yong Sun died after being shot inside his car after making a delivery. That death occurred about a half-mile from where Harris was shot.
In December, near the same area, 16-year-old Quintin L. "Skittles" Chambers, a former Highland Springs student, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting. Two 18-year-olds have been charged with murder.
In February, more than two dozen gunshots were fired in an apparent gunfight that took the life of a Louisa County resident off Newbridge Road, about four blocks from where Chambers died.
And in March 2007, Highland Springs senior Rodrick Cousins Jr. was shot to death while visiting friends on Wren Road north of Nine Mile Road in a case of mistaken identity.
Police said they intend to show a strong presence in the Highland Woods complex over the next several days. Police patrols had been increased at three eastern Henrico trouble spots Monday night, but the Highland Woods property was not one of them, police said.
Harris' death is believed to be the first shooting death at the Highland Woods property since June 2007, when three men there were shot -- two fatally. One of the victims had recently graduated from Highland Springs.
Contact Bill McKelway at (804) 649-6601 or
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Reader Reactions
You know it’s sad when once another young black person dies then all of the concerns come out the wood work from every where but in the process before these things happen there is no one to reach out to these children.Yes anll that sound good"parents needd to teach their child this,and parents need to do that and then that child would be different” but thats bull and where are you to rally for this recreation center to be built or that basketball program to be funded but instead we’re fighting to keep schools open and fighting to provide better classes for those parents that was never loved and raised in a family or even with one parent that showed them right from wrong. So instead of calling it a black thing call it like it is a sad situation.You can have a white child that has had all the luxuries of life and was showed how to be the best young man he can be then turn around at 21 and go on a killing spree so what do you call that a black thing to,so to stereo type the incident is wrong.And i call it like I see it another beautiful life taken away by violence(black or white)R.I.P SWEETHEART
To any individuals that feel like putting walls around housing projects or seperating people from the world will solve the problems that are existing,I pray for you to obtain wisdom.This is not about seperation its about education and raising our children in the way in which they should go. It takes a village to raise a child and in this day and time, some parents as well.This is about those who are in power to be an empowerment for those who are not.The church need to get off its behind and hit the streets;helping,loving and showing these young men and women; how to resolve problems without exemplifying hatred that ends up in violence.The General Assembly needs to work on polocies concerning harsh gun control and the young adults need to be more accountable for their actions,becaue they do know the difference between right and wrong in some cases. We cannot say that every youth has been raised correctly. I have heard young adults talk about the things that they have been able to do as children, which has allowed them to display this negative behavior as young adults.This is why those who have the power of wisdom needs to empower those who don’t. I pray that this family will seek peace in God. To all negative responses. I came from the projects and its a myth that all people from the projects are nothings! It’s not about where you are from, it’s about who you serve.
What a tragedy!! While none of us know why this young lady was in the “wrong place @ the wrong time” she was. For people like Nadine/SFNative/AngryWhiteGuy who are trying to make it a Black and White issue…you were all young once too (I guess - unless you were born over 21 and stupid). OK, she was pregnant, and hanging out in a bad place, but she was 18…and at 18, she was an adult. The sad thing is, her parents and family have suffered a tremendous loss. So, get off your frigging soap boxes and let them mourn their losses in peace. Comments like yours are best kept for the bars! Learn to have a little respect for your fellow Americans. And finally remember this, no matter what color or religion we are, we are all precious in His sight. God be with the Harris family at this time of loss and sorrow.
Rest in Peace Wazira Harris.
To the Harris Family ..... Im so sorry to hear about what has happen to your beautiful loved one(s)! My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Wazira Harris! RIP Wazira and Baby Harris!
SFNATIVE - Your comment sounds ridiculious! There are some white’s that are the same way! So i guess we need to demonstrate to “ALL youth that it is OK to express their feelings in healthy ways and that it is OK for them to cry and grieve and scream and yell out their anger and rage, instead of hitting someone or shooting someone—these kind of incidents will unfortunately continue…“
STOP RACISM!!!!!
People here are sooooooooo stuck on racial issues, GET OVER IT!This sometimes happens when white OR black crowds get ignorate. Jus think of REDNECKS drunk - fights happen all the time and someone gets stabbed! WE just don’t here about them on here!
RTD - how about posting something other than the “black” issues?
NADINE - I just wonder when our older WHITE men and women are going to wake up & realize you can’t neglect/ sleep with/ KILL their OWN children???
THIS COMMENT IS POSTED BY A CONCERNED WHITE FEMALE - STOP RACISM!!!!!!
What a tragedy. But if the area has continuous problems with violence how come police weren’t targeting this area with regular patrols? And what exactly is police presence for a few days going to do? Seems like it needs permanent presence or else it will go back to same old same old.
You see, this is the kind of thing that happens when the black youth are taught to be “tough” and that it is wrong for them to cry and express their emotions—they feel they have to be “hard” instead of leaving a situation behind—so that their peers won’t think they are “weak”. Until we start demonstrating to the young black youth that it is OK to express their feelings in healthy ways and that it is OK for them to cry and grieve and scream and yell out their anger and rage, instead of hitting someone or shooting someone—these kind of incidents will unfortunately continue…
This is sad and a never ending story i just wonder if and when our young BLACK men and women are going to wake up stop this foolishness!!!!!
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