OAN’s Brooke Mallory
6:40 PM – Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Seven people were shot outside of a theater during a high school graduation in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday, leaving three of the victims with life-threatening injuries, according to the city’s interim police chief.
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Two unidentified people were taken into custody as suspects, according to Interim Commissioner Rick Edwards.
Richmond Public Schools official Matthew Stanley said that the shooting took place in Richmond’s Monroe Park after Huguenot High School’s graduation ceremony was held at the nearby Altria Theater.
The park is located on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, across from the theater.
Three off-duty police officers had been guarding the ceremony, but just before 5:15 p.m., they suddenly heard gunshots outside. The interim police chief said that they sent an alert out on radio regarding the gunshots and other officers directing traffic quickly responded.
Edwards continued, describing how authorities found seven victims with gunshot wounds and non-gunshot injuries, including one who was hit by a car in the chaos.
“Is nothing sacred any longer? Is nothing sacred any longer?” Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney said at a press conference.
The mayor promised that the assailants would be brought to justice “not just for the families involved, but for the city.”
Stanley also said that another high school graduation that was originally scheduled at the theatre after the Huguenot High School ceremony was cancelled. Three different school graduations had been scheduled for Tuesday at the Altria Theater that day, according to the school system’s website.
The commencement ceremony abruptly ended when the shootings first started, according to Jason Kamrath, superintendent of Richmond Public Schools.
“I don’t have any more words on this,” Kamras said. “I’m just tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot. And I beg of the entire community to stop.”
After about an hour, the police alert page noted that there were no other ongoing threats and that the area was clear.
This is a developing story.
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