Two shootings are investigated in Richmond
Richmond police are investigating separate shootings that killed a bicyclist in South Richmond and injured two students at Virginia Commonwealth University, one critically, on Friday night.
Authorities said LaMoan Kahlil Hart, 20, was shot Friday about 9:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of Maury Street, at the intersection of 19th Street. Hart, who lived in the 1700 block of Stockton Street, traveled several blocks on his bicycle before collapsing, police said. He died at the scene.
The two VCU students were shot at Goshen and Marshall streets, near the Siegel Center. One of the students suffered life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
About 11:20 p.m., a male on foot shot the 18-year-old and 20-year-old victims in an attempted robbery, said Richmond police spokeswoman Karla E. Peters. The students were taken to VCU Medical Center. Their identities were not released yesterday.
No arrests had been made in either shooting as of last night.
Alicia Rasin, a spokeswoman for Hart's family, said he was returning home from a store when he was shot. He was living with his sister. He had a 2-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son with a girlfriend, but they were not living together.
Hart was a graduate of George Wythe High School and was doing production work at a warehouse, Rasin said. Family members were wondering why someone would want to hurt him, she said.
"The family is having a very hard time dealing with this," she said.
A vigil has been scheduled for tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the 1600 block of Maury Street.
In the other shooting incident, VCU authorities sent an alert to the campus community early yesterday. They advised people to be cautious, although authorities did not believe the shooter had stayed in VCU area.
Last night, several students in the area said they weren't aware the shootings until later.
Bethany Ayers, 20, who was staying in an apartment in the 300 block of Goshen Street at the time of the shooting, said she heard nothing. She was watching television with friends and saw ambulance lights from the second-story window.
"We didn't hear anything -- no chaos, no screaming," she said.
Janae Lewis, 18, knew about the shooting, but several people sitting with her on a patio at Rhoads Hall on Franklin and Laurel streets were not aware of it.
"It's not a surprise -- sad, but it's not a surprise," said Lewis, who grew up in Richmond.
Michele Seippel of New Orleans and Danny Caporaletti of Herndon said they did not think the shooting would change their behavior.
Antoria Anderson of Fairfax wasn't so sure. "I feel a little unsafe and little shaken knowing they were VCU students."
Contact Linda Dunham at (804) 775-8126 or
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