Months after Adam Turck’s death, another Shockoe Bottom shooting raises concerns
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmonders impacted by recent violence in Shockoe Bottom are speaking out after a shooting in late November left a woman fighting for her life.
Police said the incident happened in the early morning hours of Friday, Nov. 28 on N. 18th Street near Stadium Sports Bar, intensifying ongoing concerns about safety in the area.
Just blocks away, a memorial still stands for 35-year-old local actor Adam Turck, who was shot and killed trying to help a stranger in Shockoe Bottom four months ago, in early August.
His roommate, Chelsea Burke, said the latest shooting underscores the lasting toll violence has on the community.
"He was everyone’s fiercest cheerleader," she said, tears in her eyes. "He was the hardest-working person that I ever knew."
Burke said she and Turck lived in Shockoe. However, the impact of Turck’s death forced her to leave their shared apartment.
"It became really evident immediately that I couldn't stay in the apartment that we shared -- it was too many memories," she said. "Adam was shot within eyeline of our apartment. So I just didn't feel like I could look out the window every day and see where we lost him."
Turck was shot and killed on Saturday, Aug. 2 after trying to help de-escalate a domestic dispute on East Grace Street between two people he didn’t know.
Adam Turck in "Constellations" (Credit: Yes, And! at Firehouse Theatre)
Adam Turck in "Buried Child" (Courtesy of Firehouse Theatre)
(Photo: Chandler Hubbard)
Adam Turck in "Constellations" (Credit: Yes, And! at Firehouse Theatre)
"He believed in protecting people," Burke said. "Everybody has said that what he did back in August was no surprise to them."
Burke is one of many Richmonders deeply affected by violence in the Shockoe area. Most recently, officers said a woman was shot by an adult male member of security near Stadium Sports Bar -- just blocks away from where Turck was killed. It came after they said she pulled out a weapon of her own.
She was later taken to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries, which are considered life-threatening.
“I'm sending her all the recovering feelings," Burke said. "We loved Shockoe. This is still home. Adam always loved the city. I still love the city. But I, of course, would just love to see the violence stop.”
In September, the Richmond Police Department said it was considering making Shockoe a "gun-free zone," as it's a hotspot for violent crime. That proposal is still being evaluated.
RELATED: Richmond residents share mixed reactions to possible ‘gun-free zone’ in Shockoe Bottom
Burke said incidents like this are more than crime statistics -- they affect real people, and leave real, lasting impacts.
"His loss still hits me really hard every day," she said. "I don't think there will ever be anybody else like him."
Burke said loved ones are now working on finalising the "Adam Turck Memorial Project," as well as creating a mural in his honor.
Police continue to investigate the most recent shooting near Stadium Sports Bar.
