‘Saving someone else’s life’: Victim’s family relieved after man sentenced for deadly shooting at Richmond bus stop

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A Richmond man will spend 43 years in prison for the deadly shooting that took place at a Greater Richmond Transit Authority (GRTC) bus stop near City Hall one year ago.

In March 2024, Johnathan Jackson shot and killed 33-year-old Vincent Robinson, Jr. at a bus stop in the 900 block of East Broad Street. Robinson was found with gunshot wounds to his torso and later died at the hospital.

Johnathan Jackson was on the run for two weeks before being arrested on March 20, 2024. Jackson was sentenced to a total of 63 years in prison, with 20 years suspended. This means he will serve 43 years behind bars.

Shante Jackson, Robinson's mother, expressed her relief following the sentencing. 

“He's never going to be able to walk on the streets again -- it's saving someone else's life,” she said.

She remembered her son as a quiet, smart young man. She emphasized the deep impact of his death on his family -- particularly his 11-year-old son.

33-year-old Vincent Robinson, Jr. (Photo provided to 8News by Vincent's family.)

33-year-old Vincent Robinson, Jr. (Photo provided to 8News by Vincent's family.)

Tiara Edwards, the mother of Robinson’s child, shared the difficulty of raising her son without his father. 

“Grief is really setting in for him,” Edwards said. “He's more closed-off now, instead of being the happy kid that he is. He’ll sit in the house, in a room, and doesn't want to talk to anybody. 

She plans to explain the situation to her son when he’s older, but said she would not give him the full details at this time. 

“I'll tell him that justice has been served, but I'm still not going to give him those details, because it is traumatizing for him,” she said.

Jonathan Jackson -- who had a prior criminal history including disorderly conduct and petty larceny -- maintained that Robinson was not his intended target and claimed to have seen a knife in Robinson's hands.

PREVIOUS: Family reacts to arrest made in downtown Richmond bus stop homicide

However, prosecutor Brooke Pettit presented clear video evidence from the bus stop, showing Robinson's hands were empty and raised at the time of the shooting.

“There wasn't an apology,” said Robinson’s mother. “That was just him [Johnathan Jackson] wanting to stand and say something. That was nowhere near an apology. That made him upset because he got caught.”

The judge sentenced Jackson to 60 years, with 20 years suspended, for the murder charge, plus an additional three years for the firearm charge.