Portsmouth police are asking for the public's help finding a 23-year-old man they describe as a person of interest in the fatal shooting of Daviyon Amani Jones, who died on Oct. 11 after being dropped off at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Detectives have identified the man as Joseph Immanuel Jones and say they have evidence suggesting he is currently in Georgia.
Victim Died After Being Dropped at Hospital
According to 13News Now, Joseph Immanuel Jones is wanted for questioning in the Oct. 11 homicide of Daviyon Amani Jones, 24, according to a Portsmouth Police Department press release. Police say Daviyon Amani Jones was dropped off at Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center around 2:21 a.m. that day and died at the hospital. As reported by WAVY, the gunshot victim was dropped off by two individuals in a silver vehicle.
The station's report also notes that Jones was wounded during a shooting incident on the 4600 block of George Washington Highway that same morning. Police say evidence connects that fatal shooting to an earlier shots-fired incident in the same block, per the same account. Police responded to reports of shots fired there and encountered a large crowd, the station reported.
Officer Opened Fire During Chaotic Response
During that initial response, an officer fired his weapon and injured a man who was taken to the hospital, per WAVY's report. A separate account from the Daily Press similarly described an officer discharging his weapon and striking an adult male during the response, adding that officers rendered medical aid to the man until medics arrived and transported him to a local hospital. The identity and current condition of that injured man have not been made public.
A related report from WAVY described Portsmouth officers responding to the 4600 block of George Washington Highway early that Sunday morning after hearing gunshots, underscoring how the night's chaos unfolded in stages before the fatal shooting was confirmed.
Second Person of Interest Also Sought
Police are also seeking 24-year-old Taajh Amari Waters as a person of interest in the homicide, according to the Portsmouth Police Department. Investigators have additionally asked the community to help identify two men captured on surveillance footage connected to the case, as WAVY reported. The Virginian-Pilot confirmed that police say evidence connects the shooting that led to Jones' death to the earlier shots-fired call on George Washington Highway.
Portsmouth police describe the case as an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or submit an anonymous tip through the P3 Tips mobile app, per the Virginian-Pilot. No arrests or charges in Daviyon Amani Jones' death have been confirmed, and the roles of both men sought as persons of interest remain under investigation.
