Court documents reveal 2021 homicide started dispute between Huguenot graduation day shooter and victim

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Court documents reveal a 2021 homicide started the dispute between Amari Pollard and Shawn Jackson before shots were fired outside of Huguenot's graduation.

Seven people were shot and several others were injured during a shooting outside following Huguenot's graduation on June 6, 2023. Graduate Shawn Jackson and his stepfather, Lorenzo Smith, both died.

The Richmond Police Department shared new details about their investigation, stating no one will be charged in connection with Smith's death. Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards also detailed what detectives determined to be the motive behind the shooting.

"After a lengthy investigation, it was determined that Amari Pollard shot Shawn Jackson after a dispute regarding a justifiable homicide of an individual that both parties knew," Edwards said.

8News obtained court documents of Pollard's interview with police following the shooting. During this interview, Pollard detailed what prompted the shooting: a disagreement between him and Jackson.

Pollard told detectives he needed to provide context before describing what happened on June 6, 2023. That's when he shared that he lost his friend, Daveon Elliot, on Nov. 11, 2021.

8News previously reported that 18-year-old Elliot was shot near Larrymore Road near Erich Road on November 11, 2021. He was taken to the hospital around 8:30 p.m. and he died shortly after. An investigation determined that this shooting was justified.

"A justifiable homicide is one where a homicide occurred, but it is legally justified -- and typically what that comes down to is self-defense," said Russ Stone, 8News' legal analyst. "That is probably the most common kind of justifiable homicide."

Russ also said a justifiable homicide can occur when someone is defending another person.

Following this shooting, Pollard told detectives that's when problems started between him and Jackson.