Semaj Richelle Coleman was a bright and ambitious student with a future dedicated to helping others. A 22-year-old native of Mollusk, a small community in Lancaster County, Virginia, Semaj was a senior at Norfolk State University. She was pursuing a degree in Health Services Management and was deeply involved in campus life. Friends and fellow students remembered her as a kindhearted, outgoing, and loving person.
Her commitment to her chosen field was evident in her recent induction into the National Association for Allied Health Professions. Semaj also participated in the university’s Spartans Promise to Persist with Purpose program, which aids in career readiness, and was an active member of Queen In You, a student organization focused on empowering women of color.
The final day of Semaj’s life, Saturday, October 24, 2026, ended in tragedy. That night, she was in a parking lot in the 5700 block of East Virginia Beach Boulevard in Norfolk, near a Waffle House. Around 11:45 p.m., the Norfolk Police Department was notified that a woman, later identified as Semaj, had been brought to the emergency room at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. She had sustained a life-threatening gunshot wound and, despite medical efforts, succumbed to her injury.
The initial investigation by Norfolk police moved quickly. Detectives determined that the shooting was accidental. A 23-year-old man from Newport News, Matthew B. Croslin, was taken into custody at the scene of the shooting. He was subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless handling of a firearm. Following his arrest, Croslin was held without bond in the Norfolk City Jail. The case was set to proceed through the legal system.
The news of Semaj’s sudden death sent waves of shock and grief through the Norfolk State University community. In a statement, the university's Office of the President called the incident tragic, acknowledging the difficult emotions it would bring. "Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Semaj's family, friends, classmates, faculty, and all those who knew and loved her," the statement read. "The loss of a member of our Spartan family is deeply felt." The university made counseling and support services available to students and staff, encouraging the community to come together to honor Semaj's memory and celebrate her accomplishments.
Friends and classmates expressed their sorrow, noting the void her absence would create. One student, reflecting on an upcoming induction ceremony, remarked on the "empty feeling that's going to be there" without Semaj. Flowers were left in the parking lot where the shooting occurred, a quiet memorial to a life cut short. In her hometown, family and friends gathered for a celebration of life, where her mother, Melanie Veny, reflected on the special bond she shared with her daughter and the lasting impact Semaj would leave behind.
As of late October 2026, the investigation into Semaj Coleman's death was ongoing, and the criminal case against Matthew Croslin was pending in the Virginia court system. The Norfolk Police Department had not released further details about the specific circumstances that led to the accidental discharge of the firearm. The university community and her family in Lancaster County were left to mourn a young woman who was on the verge of completing her degree and embarking on a career in health services, a future full of promise that was tragically extinguished.
