Family honors Shawn Jackson on 21st birthday he never got to see

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Two and a half years after Shawn Jackson was killed shortly after Huguenot High School's graduation, his family has created a tribute to mark a milestone he never got to see: his 21st birthday.

Shawn Jackson was just 18 years old when both he and his stepfather were killed in a mass shooting on June 6, 2023. A day meant to celebrate Shawn's future -- his high school graduation -- turned into tragedy.

Now, years later, the Jackson family is left to celebrate Shawn's 21st birthday without him.

"A perfect day turned into a tragic moment that we’re just trying to get past and grieve," said Tameeka Jackson-Smith, Shawn’s mother.

The gravesite of Shawn Jackson, as seen on Dec. 10, 2025 -- what would have been his 21st birthday. Nearby headstones have been blurred for the privacy of those individuals and their loved ones. (Photo: Sara Molina/8News)

Keeping his memory alive, especially on difficult days like his birthday, is a priority for the Jackson family.

"On my shirt is his graduation picture … It’s a milestone birthday," Jackson-Smith said. "I love him and I miss him so much, and I’m always keeping his name alive."

Jackson-Smith and her family are turning their grief into a tribute this year. They're honoring Shawn with a birthday billboard along East Laburnum Avenue, which was created with the help of family friend, Eric Jackson.

"He [Eric] went ahead and called people to get involved -- then my mom, her and my family got together. They helped put it on him, his friends, and we … it was a go," Jackson-Smith said.

Billboard marking the 21st birthday of Shawn Jackson. (Photo: Nikkita Tyler/8News)

Shawn’s case garnered national attention and repeatedly made headlines after his killer, then-19-year-old Amari Pollard, had a lengthy trial. Pollard eventually pleaded guilty to Shawn’s murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

"It’s like opening up a wound time and time again," Jackson-Smith said. "I just had a flat-out ask the last news people, 'Could this just stop? Could this just be the end?' Because at the end of the day, we are a family that’s grieving."

Most recently, a review of the case released by Richmond Police in August said investigators may never know who shot Shawn’s stepfather, Lorenzo Smith.

Still, Jackson-Smith told 8News that she wants peace and to simply celebrate her son’s 21st birthday.

"He was like the life of the party -- so I know we will be having a big celebration," she said. "He loves to dance. I know we’ll be somewhere dancing."

The birthday billboard will be up for a week as the Jackson family continues to honor Shawn’s life and legacy.