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Two bodies on 29th Street
04/02/2010 6:16 PM by John M
Looks like two more dead in a shooting at S and 29th Streets. Initial reports are that a man shot another man and then himself, and that the shooter was a suspect in this morning’s shooting in Randolph.
Crowd says that police killed one of them.
Twitter says connected to this mornings shooting in Randolph.
That explains the 10 or so vehicles flying down Fairmount.
The title says 19th street, the text says 29th.
Thanks, fixed. I’m on my phone.
All of the big media is on the scene, look for this on your news channel of choice.
The top post has been edited to reflect what is known at this time. The first 2 comments were posted while I was trying to figure out what was going on: the Randolph connection is believed to be true, the police shooting is not.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/murden/archives/date-posted/2010/04/02/
John your reporting is incredible, thanks so much. I realize you are being the intrepid reporter, but it has to be a bit stressful being on the scene like that.
This is so sad, how many murders in two or three days? I think it’s six, that’s way too many.
I’m seeing a twitter post that needs to be spread around, “Dear Richmond: “Slaughterama Weekend” was not meant to be taken literally. Please stop. Love, Richmonders”
How true.
Homicide suspect commits suicide after killing bystander (RTD 4/2)
Wow, How exciting between the Crack house next door and Bodies laying all over churchill.I am a very proud homeowner who will never be able to sell my house as my home value declines for every murder and drug deal that happens.. oh and keep leaving your trash in my front yard and stealing out of my back yard, I don’t mind giving to my wonderful neighbors.
A crack house can change quick enough if you can get the right people looking at it. Come out to the next civic association meeting for wherever you live and talk to the Sector Lt about it. If you live south of Nine Mile/Carrington, that would be Lt.Laino at james.laino@richmondgov.com. If you live north of there, that would be Lt. Harrison at martin.harrison@richmondgov.com.
And while the last 48 hours have been nuts, keep in mind that we’ve seen good steady progress up here for the past 6 years. Last year we had 9 homicides in the East End; in 2004 we had 27. I can only imagine what the numbers were in the 1980s and 1990s.
Homies!
John, you are so right, Church Hill has come a long way, and the home owners are doing an awesome job. This stuff will pass on its own. The hill has seen it all.
We have lived here for five years and have never seen anything like these past few days. My husband and I have been trying to figure out what has sparked it. My husband thinks it is drug dealers trying to pick up territory that is now available due to recent arrests, house sales to non-drug dealing people (so those dealers had to moves elsewhere to peddle), etc. I have started calling the police narcotics line for any suspicious activity I see in my travels. 646-8123 (These are the undercover dudes). You can leave a msg. if they don’t answer. If I see anyone near my neighbor’s backyard, I call the police. It is the only way to get it under control. It goes in waves. At one point everyone was calling a lot and things got very quiet and very pleasant in the neighborhoods. We got complacent and now we have to start calling again. Eventually, Church Hill will not have it has now. It has steadily been decreasing. We just have to keep working at it. We have come a long way. Recently I have really noticed a surge in new residents in remodeled homes. We have to protect our property, not sit back and let it be taken over.
The Richmond Police Department is investigating a homicide-suicide that occurred about 5:30 p.m. yesterday in the Churchill section of the city.
Alvin Pleasants, 45, 17 North 26th Street, Richmond; wanted by police for questioning in a homicide on Lakeview Avenue earlier in the day; was spotted by an officer on patrol in Churchill.
Pleasants fled on foot but was stopped by officers at the corner of North 29th and S Streets. Moments later, in front of the officers and several other witnesses, Pleasants committed suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Prompted by a another gunshot heard moments earlier, officers followed Pleasants’ route of flight about 50 yards into a yard in the 1200 block of North 30th Street. There they discovered the body of Charles Jackson, 56, 1204 North 30th Street, dead of a single gunshot wound.
Police are investigating the case as a homicide-suicide.
They are investigating the Lakeview Avenue homicide as domestic-related – involving Pleasants.
No Richmond Police officer discharged a weapon during the encounter with Pleasants.
Is 17 N 26th St the right address? I think that would have him living in the wooded area beside the steps down to Main Street.
I was wondering the same thing.
That info is from the RPD press release.
UPDATE: The police have updated this to 917 North 26th Street.
Alvin Pleasants
Wonderful. Just wonderful. Makes me proud to live in RVA. I feel bad for the guy shot in his back yard. I don’t really care when the drug dealers and ghetto assholes shoot each other, but to see them take out an innocent man really pisses me off.
I may catch a lot of flack for this, but can something be done about grown men and women just aimlessly milling about in the street? Worse, you see people talking to a driver pulled over on the side of the road (big red flag that screams drug deal). Bizarre. Surely this can’t be normal. Maybe I’m missing something but if you’re not in front of or near your home, you’re not actively trying to reach a destination or you’re not catching the bus, WHAT THE HELL are you doing?
Normal, every day adults do not hang out in the street at all hours of the day.
I realize that John quickly corrected the original rumor about police had shot someone, and I’m really extremely impressed with the on-the-scene reporting he did – but what is bothering me is that the crowd was so quick to blame the police for a killing, even though the cops had not even fired a shot. How sad.
I think that they had that impression because, as I’ve heard it, officers had their guns drawn on him (and were requesting that he drop his gun) when he shot himself.
Ditto and agreed, #14 and #21. Whenever I see anything that looks suspicious, I call the police. When the weather gets warm and loitering seems to be the favorite local past time on the Hill, I call that in as well. The police have always responded and, presto chango, no more people hanging out at that area for awhile. Please, people, call the police!
Chalk up another great reason to live in Church Hill. UNAUTHORIZED street closings with no permit. Y
ep, my neighbors on Marshall and Chimbo have decided to block the street with their cars and set up an impromptu block party complete with loud rap music and screaming kids. Always a treat to hear this as you wind down from a busy day. I didn’t know it was legal for 75-100 people to gather and mill about in the street, urinate in alleyways and drink alcohol in open containers….
Rvahillguy said:
“Maybe I’m missing something but if you’re not in front of or near your home, you’re not actively trying to reach a destination or you’re not catching the bus, WHAT THE HELL are you doing?”
What business is it of yours WHAT I’m doing?! Unless I’m CAUGHT committing a CRIME, this is a free country, and if I want to hang out on the street all hours of the day, I’m free to do so as a law-abiding adult.
Franklin said it best:
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
#25- If you don’t like Church Hill why don’t you move. I hear Burma is nice this time of year. I don’t like loud Rap Music either. I guess if it was Irish Music and Screaming Kids it would be OK.Your racism is showing. Obviously You don’t have kids.[And Wish You Did]Mind your own business.
#27-I would say, if you don’t like Church Hill, why don’t you help make it a better place for everyone? If I were #25, I would have called the police. If that posting is accurate, several illegal activities were taking place. Remember, your rights end where mine begin. Be careful pulling the race card again. You have no clue as to my race.
We need to have realistic expectations of our neighborhoods. I get the feeling that a lot of folks who moved to the city did not grow up in such an urban environment and are ultimately better suited for suburban & county lifestyles. There is conflict when there is lack of compromise.
I do not care if people have a little “unsanctioned” summertime fun. I actually think its great. Personally I would prefer that it happened less than occasionally, which is why I am looking into properties on larger plots outside of the city.
caroline, I lived in downtown Chicago for 3 years. I was in Wicker Park and Bucktown. The crap that happens here would never happen there (well, at least not in the normal residential neighborhoods). There were plenty of block parties, but the people had to have permits and the police were always ready to act if someone decided to do something illegal. It seems like police don’t really want to touch certain areas out here. I know they are working hard, but sometimes that is not enough. Lets hope things continue to improve and that we see less multi murder weekends in the future.
#27. The Right To Assemble is in the Constitution. As for urination,In all the the other countries I have visited, disgressionary peeing is part of daily life. So what “several illegal” activities are you referring to? How do you know no permit was issued?You’re right, maybe the race card was the wrong one to play. I meant to play the Elitist card. Keep on peeping thru your blinds.I going outside to drink from an open container
Sorry.I am going outside to drink from an open container. Four dead and you are talking about a beer. Get Real
The cops are probably backed up responding to all the superficial phone calls they get about a suspicious person relaxing outside on a hot Saturday afternoon.
I joke…
#31 Peeing is natural, but peeing on my fence is gross and violating. This country happens to have indoor plumbing.
#31 The Constitutional Right to Assemble does not apply in this case.
I don’t have “blinds” on my windows.
For a list of the several illegal activities, refer to post #25.
You resorted to name calling, which is an elementary tactic. As you said, men are dead. Is this the road you wish to go down?
I simply said that I always call the police when mischief or suspicious is observed. Our police always respond, and follow up.
I am suggesting, as the fine public servants at the 1st precinct have told me, to call them. It makes where we are a safer place to live.
#32 I never said a thing about a beer. Perhaps you’ve had one too many already?
#34 Just because you say The Right to Assemble does not apply in this case only supports my previous argument.I am assuming that when you call police that you go outside and meet them when they arrive. Therefore you can be seen by all your neighbors. That’s getting involved. I seriously doubt it. Just like I doubt that #25 saw anybody urinating.It just makes for a good hypothetical. Can’t wait for next year. I hear they are having Rush Limbaugh. MMMM- Beer!
There have been several murders. Calm down folks.
Maybe we need to ‘focus’ on an app that attaches to our computers when we’re drinking, and it causes a message to pop up that says ‘are you sure you want to post this message?’ Might make us all, present company included just to make everyone feel better, think twice about what we post.
Actually they did get a permit for the block party. I’m not commenting on any of the behavior at the party because I wasn’t there, but we were asked to give our permission since we live on the block.
I work in Churchill…and I have been here longer than all of you new “homeowners”..that man that was killed in his own backyard..Mr. Charles Jackson was an AWESOME gentleman,hard worker and kind…CHPN need to do a article on him..So dont always assume that it is a drug deal..If you are from Richmond and you bought a home in Churchill..then you already know what the Churchill area offered as far as crime goes..so dont complain.
IF YALL WHITE PEOPLE MOVE THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOOD YALL WOULDNT HAVE TO WORRY BOUT THIS SHIT FUCK YALL
@40 Yeah right! What part of the hood do you own? Uncle Sam doesn’t grant ownership rights.
Its been six years and I still think about my uncle Charles every day. He was taken away from our family in a random act of violence days after he retired, not giving him any time to enjoy life after years of hard work. I love you and miss you Uncle Charles. I believe you’re watching over me and see my struggle in dealing with you no longer being here with us. You’re forever in my heart?