A shooting on East Queens Way in Hampton left a victim with life-threatening injuries Wednesday afternoon, prompting a police investigation on the 1st block of East Queens Way. The Hampton Police Division said officers were investigating shortly before 5 p.m. Police said their preliminary investigation found that the victim and suspect argued at a recording studio, struggled over a firearm, and the firearm discharged and struck the victim.
According to WAVY.com, officers responded to the block Wednesday afternoon after receiving word of a shooting with life-threatening injuries. WVEC similarly reported that police issued a public notification shortly before 5 p.m. confirming officers were investigating the shooting.
WTKR News 3 reported that a person was severely injured in the shooting.
An Earlier Shooting Near Goody's
A shooting followed an argument at Goody's, near its back door.
The 1st block of East Queens Way functions as a primary commercial anchor for Downtown Hampton, lined with historic multi-tenant retail buildings dating back to around 1900 that house long-standing restaurants and bars, according to real estate listing data from LoopNet. The street also serves as a focal point for community programming, regularly hosting the seasonal Downtown Hampton Block Party and evening public gatherings that draw visitors to its dining corridor, per event listings from Downtown Hampton. That combination of foot traffic and community events helps explain why a violent incident on this specific block tends to draw heightened local attention.
Virginia's Broader Crime Trends
Citywide, the picture on violent crime in Hampton has been mixed this year. Official statistics published by the Hampton Police Division show the city recorded 141 aggravated assaults and 235 total violent crimes between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2026, compared with 137 aggravated assaults and 263 total violent crimes during the same nine-month stretch in 2025. That means total violent crime in Hampton actually dropped over that period even as aggravated assaults ticked up slightly.
The pattern echoes a statewide trend. An annual report released by the Virginia State Police in July found that violent crime victims across Virginia decreased by 5.9% in 2025, though firearms were used in 73.7% of all homicides statewide, illustrating how dominant a role guns continue to play in violent offenses across the commonwealth.
Potential Legal Exposure if Charges Follow
Police are investigating the shooting, and their preliminary account says the victim and a suspect argued. But Virginia law provides for severe penalties in cases involving life-threatening gunfire. Under Virginia Code § 18.2-51.2, maliciously shooting or wounding another person with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill, resulting in severe injury and permanent physical impairment, is classified as aggravated malicious wounding, a Class 2 felony punishable by 20 years to life in prison and fines up to $100,000.
Separately, Virginia Code § 18.2-280 makes it a Class 6 felony to willfully discharge a firearm in a public place of business or public gathering that results in bodily injury, carrying penalties of one to five years in prison, or up to 12 months in jail, and fines up to $2,500. Which statute, if any, might eventually apply to this case remains unknown while the investigation continues.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Hampton Police Division. The regional Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP and the P3Tips platform accept anonymous tips.
