A deadly shooting at an Amazon warehouse parking lot in Chesterfield County, Virginia claimed the life of a 33-year-old female delivery service partner employee, Chelsea R. Johnson, on May 31. Johnson, who was contracted by Amazon, was found dead at the scene from a gunshot wound.
The local police department in Chesterfield County received calls about a shooting around 9:35 p.m. Upon arriving at the Amazon facility location on Bellwood Road’s 1600 block, officers found Richmond resident Johnson outside the building. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a gunshot and observing a blood trail leading from the building.
In a statement, Amazon officials expressed deep concern over the incident, assuring support for their team and partners at the Richmond delivery station. The company confirmed its full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. In light of the incident, other employees were dismissed, and Saturday evening’s shifts were called off, with wages guaranteed for the impacted workers.
The following day, police apprehended Darryl M. Charity Jr., a 31-year-old Richmond resident, linking him to the shooting. Charity is now faced with charges of second-degree murder, firearm use during a felony, and firearm possession by a convicted felon. Currently, he is detained without bond at the Chesterfield County Jail. Despite his 10-year sentence for a felony drug offense last year, his sentence was suspended.
The authorities have indicated that the shooting was domestic-related. Charity and Johnson lived together and had a past filled with turbulent incidents. Chesterfield County Police Department’s Lt. Matthew Dunn stated that Charity was previously sought for domestic violence related to an incident in March. Further, he revealed that discussions with the victim’s family uncovered a history of domestic disputes.
Johnson’s sudden death leaves her family and friends mourning the loss of a cherished daughter, sister, and mother of two young children. Her sister, Yolanda Robertson, remembers Johnson as an exceptionally caring and generous person. “Anything she had, she would give,” Robertson commented, highlighting Johnson’s readiness to aid others.
Johnson is survived by her two daughters, aged 12 and eight.