On a chaotic Friday night of Memorial Day weekend in Henrico, Virginia, Lavon Donelle Woodson, a 44-year-old man, was fatally shot on May 22, 2026. The incident occurred in the parking lot of Mel J's Bar and Grill, located on the 7500 block of Brook Road, shattering the evening for patrons and staff. Police responded to reports of the shooting just after 11:00 p.m. and, along with concerned citizens, attempted to render aid to Woodson.
Despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The violence that claimed Woodson's life was part of a troubling string of events in Henrico County that holiday weekend, which saw another homicide in a separate incident. A witness who was inside the bar at the time of the shooting described the scene as "very chaotic" and expressed that a single person's poor decision shouldn't tarnish the establishment's reputation, noting it had been without issue since opening the previous year. In the aftermath, special agents with Virginia ABC were observed at the property, and the owner of Mel J's Bar and Grill extended their sincere condolences to Woodson's family and the patrons who witnessed the tragic event.
In the wake of the shooting, Henrico police launched a homicide investigation into the death of Lavon Donelle Woodson. While an arrest was made in the other homicide that occurred over the same weekend, authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or made any arrests in connection with Woodson's death. The case remains an active investigation, and law enforcement has appealed to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough. Anyone with knowledge of the shooting is encouraged to contact the Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers. As of now, the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the motive behind it remain unresolved, leaving a community to mourn and await justice.
