In the late hours of a Thursday night in Suffolk, Virginia, the life of William Eugene Goodman Jr., a 37-year-old Black man, was cut tragically short. On September 12, 2024, Goodman was in the 800 block of East Washington Street when gunfire erupted around 11:25 p.m. When police arrived at the scene, they found multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Goodman was pronounced dead at the scene, a victim of the violent outburst that shattered the evening's calm.
The shooting claimed another life, that of 30-year-old Demonte Lamont Tillery, who succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a local hospital. Three other individuals, two men and a woman, were also wounded in the incident but were expected to survive. Investigators collected numerous shell casings from the area and reviewed footage from nearby cameras in an effort to piece together the events of that fatal night.
In the wake of the deadly shooting, the Suffolk Police Department appealed to the public for assistance, expressing a desperate need for tips and information that could lead to the identification of those responsible for what they termed a 'senseless act of violence.' Despite their investigative efforts, authorities have not yet publicly identified any suspects in the case, and no arrests have been made. The community mourned the loss of the two men, who were remembered as fathers, leaving behind a total of eleven children. As the investigation continues, a resolution and justice for the victims and their families remain elusive.
