Edward Lamont Santiful, a 45-year-old Black male, was shot and killed on the evening of October 11, 2023, in Portsmouth, Virginia. Portsmouth police officers responded to reports of gunfire on Dale Drive around 6:45 p.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered Santiful suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The incident prompted an investigation by the Portsmouth Police Investigations Bureau, who
initially did not release information about a potential suspect or the circumstances leading to the shooting. Friends and family mourned the loss of Santiful, who was remembered as a beloved son, father, and brother with a crazy sense of humor. He was born on August 16, 1978, to his mother, Francine.
A significant development in the case came on October 19, 2023, when Portsmouth police announced the arrest of a 17-year-old male in connection with Santiful's death. The juvenile suspect was charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm, and underage possession of a firearm. Investigators linked the same teenager to another homicide that occurred in September of the same year, resulting in two counts for each of the aforementioned charges. The earlier incident, on September 8, 2023, resulted in the death of 31-year-old Erica Atkins on Columbus Avenue.
