Erica Atkins was a mother of two daughters, ages 10 and two, and a woman her aunt described as a "butterfly" who could bring joy to any situation. The 31-year-old Black female’s life was ended by gunfire in her hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia, leaving her family to grieve a senseless loss. Her death was especially painful for her aunt, Monica Atkins, a prominent anti-violence activist and founder of the organization 'Stop the Violence 757'.
On the night of September 8, 2023, at approximately 9:26 p.m., Erica was sitting in a car with two other women in the 1900 block of Columbus Avenue. Surveillance footage from the Prentis Park neighborhood captured what happened next: a group of men got out of a car and opened fire on the vehicle the women occupied before speeding away. All three women were struck. Erica was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, where she later died. A second woman, Kamia Blount, 26, was found at the scene with serious injuries, and a third, Chemiyah Lawrence, walked into a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Both survived.
Erica's aunt believed her niece was not the intended target and was simply minding her business when the gunfire erupted. The family, long dedicated to preventing the kind of tragedy that had just befallen them, pleaded with the public for information. The Portsmouth Police Department launched an investigation, asking anyone who knew something to come forward.
In October 2023, police announced a significant development in the case. They arrested a 17-year-old male and charged him in connection with Erica’s murder. The teenager was also charged in a separate homicide that occurred nearby on Dale Drive on October 11, which resulted in the death of 45-year-old Edward Lamont Santiful.
The juvenile suspect faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, and two counts of underage possession of a firearm. While the arrest brought a measure of relief, police stated they were still searching for other suspects involved in the shooting. As of October 2023, the case against the teen was proceeding through the justice system. Police have asked anyone with information to contact them at 757-393-8536.
