‘Sounded like someone was at war’: 17-year-old killed just steps away from Henrico elementary school
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A 17-year-old boy was found dead in a Henrico County backyard Monday morning -- just steps away from a local elementary school. Children walked into Ratcliffe Elementary School on Monday morning for a new week -- a new day of learning -- but just across the bus drop-off zone, families were met with an alarming scene. "When I took my kids to school this morning, they were picking up shell casings across the street," a local mother told 8News. Our 8News team was at the scene and could still see the bright yellow evidence markers, which mapped the remnants of the frightening scene along Reynolds Road. "Sounded like someone was at war," a neighbor reflected when asked about what she heard that morning. Neighbors -- who wished to remain anonymous -- told 8News that they woke up around 3 a.m. to shots echoing out across the normally quiet street. They said by 6 a.m., the street had become flooded with sirens and lights. Members of the Henrico County Police Department launched their investigation after finding a 17-year-old boy fatally shot in the backyard. It took officials hours before they could re-locate the deceased teenager, so neighbors added that it's been an emotionally grueling scene all day. "This child has been out here since, I'm assuming, when it first happened at 3:10 this morning," one mother reacted. "Here we [are]… hours later. This child still is outside. And that's nothing no parent should have to go through." Henrico Police confirmed they are investigating this death as a homicide, but the department can't yet confirm details about the circumstances leading to the shooting. When asked if there is still a danger to the neighborhood, a spokesperson for the police department didn't answer directly, but said the department is asking people to "keep their heads on a swivel." "I'm more worried about my children," a nearby neighbor said. "No parent should have to go through that… right here at the holidays." Again, there are still many unanswered questions about the circumstances leading to this shooting. Henrico County Police cannot confirm any of the theories circulating the neighborhood at this time, but they told 8News that they are following a number of leads and will send updates when available. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Henrico County Police Department. They said any information or tip is helpful no matter how small it may seem.
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HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A 17-year-old boy was found dead in a Henrico County backyard Monday morning -- just steps away from a local elementary school.
Children walked into Ratcliffe Elementary School on Monday morning for a new week -- a new day of learning -- but just across the bus drop-off zone, families were met with an alarming scene.
"When I took my kids to school this morning, they were picking up shell casings across the street," a local mother told 8News.
Our 8News team was at the scene and could still see the bright yellow evidence markers, which mapped the remnants of the frightening scene along Reynolds Road.
"Sounded like someone was at war," a neighbor reflected when asked about what she heard that morning.
Neighbors -- who wished to remain anonymous -- told 8News that they woke up around 3 a.m. to shots echoing out across the normally quiet street. They said by 6 a.m., the street had become flooded with sirens and lights.
Members of the Henrico County Police Department launched their investigation after finding a 17-year-old boy fatally shot in the backyard. It took officials hours before they could re-locate the deceased teenager, so neighbors added that it's been an emotionally grueling scene all day.
"This child has been out here since, I'm assuming, when it first happened at 3:10 this morning," one mother reacted. "Here we [are]… hours later. This child still is outside. And that's nothing no parent should have to go through."
Henrico Police confirmed they are investigating this death as a homicide, but the department can't yet confirm details about the circumstances leading to the shooting. When asked if there is still a danger to the neighborhood, a spokesperson for the police department didn't answer directly, but said the department is asking people to "keep their heads on a swivel."
"I'm more worried about my children," a nearby neighbor said. "No parent should have to go through that… right here at the holidays."
Again, there are still many unanswered questions about the circumstances leading to this shooting. Henrico County Police cannot confirm any of the theories circulating the neighborhood at this time, but they told 8News that they are following a number of leads and will send updates when available.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Henrico County Police Department. They said any information or tip is helpful no matter how small it may seem.
