A late-night shooting near a bus servicing business in Suffolk, Virginia on Thursday, September 12, 2024 left two men dead, one a well-known business owner, and three others seriously injured. The incident occurred just over 35 miles southeast of Virginia Beach, sending shockwaves through the local community.
During a news conference on the afternoon of September 13, Suffolk Police Chief James Buie announced that 37-year-old William Goodman Jr. was the victim pronounced dead at the scene. Thirty-year-old Demonte Tillery died in the hospital.
According to the Suffolk Police Department, a 911 call reporting a shooting on East Washington Street came in just before 11:30 p.m. on Thursday. “Arriving officers reported finding five people shot,” stated a release from the police department. The Suffolk Fire & Rescue team also responded to the call, providing immediate medical assessment and treatment to the victims.
In addition to the deceased, three remaining gunshot victims, two men and a woman, were also transported to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries. As of Friday afternoon’s press conference, according to Chief Buie, they were expected to survive.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and police have not released any information about the shooter or potential suspects. The area where the incident occurred, near a bus servicing business, formerly the H.M. White Bus Service, on East Washington Street, is not typically known for such violent crimes.
Suffolk has a higher crime rate than the national average, with 23 crimes for every 1,000 residents. The city’s violent crime rate is particularly concerning, as people living in Suffolk have a 1 in 211 chance of becoming a victim of such an act. Suffolk also has one of the highest murder rates in the country for cities of its size.
The Suffolk Police Department is actively investigating the incident and has called on the public for assistance. “Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact Suffolk Police or go to the Suffolk Police Department website (www.suffolkva.us/spd) and look for the Suffolk Crime Line link,” the department stated.
Images captured of the crime scenes reveal a dump truck marred by bullet impacts. The side of the truck displays multiple bullet holes, and the driver’s side glass is shattered. The truck is branded with “Good Guys Enterprise LLC.” It has been confirmed that Goodman was the owner of the dump truck. Several other vehicles were targeted. and shell casings were strewn around. A resident of the neighborhood estimated that dozens of rounds were fired and it sounded like a war zone.
This marks the second fatal shooting in Suffolk last week. On Monday, September 9, just after 2 p.m., 24-year-old Alvin Brown Jr. was fatally shot on the 6100 block of Old Townpoint Road. According to police, he was shot in the chest and succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.