A man was found dead early Saturday morning inside a business in Richmond’s North Side, and police say he had suffered an apparent gunshot wound before being pronounced dead at the scene. The discovery happened in the 4200 block of North Avenue, where a passerby noticed someone down inside the building and alerted authorities.
According to WRIC ABC 8News, the passerby saw the person down at about 5:29 a.m. Saturday. Richmond police and the Richmond Fire Department were called to the scene and entered the business, where officers found the man down and unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and the Richmond Medical Examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death.
Separate Report Points to Vape Shop, Employee
A separate local report identified the location as a vape shop and said the person found unresponsive was an adult male employee. Per 12 On Your Side, police and firefighters were called to the store and made their way inside, where they found him lying down and unresponsive. The outlet noted there was no confirmation yet on the name of the store, and that the business was closed following the incident.
The station also reported that people who said they frequently visited the store described the victim as extremely kind, adding that he always worked his hardest to help customers. Those same regulars said he had worked at the shop for about a month, according to the same account.
Major Crimes Detectives Lead the Investigation
Detectives with the Richmond Police Department’s Major Crimes Division are investigating the death, police said. No suspect, motive, or further details about how the shooting occurred have been released as the case remains active.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Major Crimes Detective P. Mansfield at 804-646-6996 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. This remains a developing story, and Hoodline will update as more information becomes available.
