In the late hours of a warm September evening in Portsmouth, Virginia, the life of 31-year-old Erica Atkins was tragically cut short. On September 8, 2023, Erica, a female, was caught in a hail of bullets in a triple shooting that occurred on Dale Drive. She succumbed to her injuries, leaving behind a grieving family, including two young daughters. The incident was one of several shootings that plagued the city over a span of just 55 hours, leaving the community shaken.
Erica was the niece of Monica Atkins, a prominent anti-violence activist and the founder of the organization 'Stop the Violence 757'. The family, who had already been touched by gun violence in the past, was once again thrust into the spotlight of a tragedy they had fought so hard to prevent for others. Her sister, Lucretia Atkins, remembered Erica as an 'amazing person' and one of the best people she had ever met. The family's pain was amplified by the violent and senseless nature of her death, which was reportedly the result of a possible shootout.
In the wake of the shooting, the Portsmouth Police Department launched an investigation. Surveillance footage captured the chaotic moments as a group of men emerged from cars and opened fire on the vehicle occupied by Erica and two other women. The investigation led to a significant breakthrough in October when a 17-year-old male was arrested in connection with the shooting. The teenager, whose name was withheld due to his age, was also linked to another fatal shooting that occurred in October on Dale Drive, which resulted in the death of 45-year-old Edward Santiful. The suspect faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, and underage possession of a firearm. For a family dedicated to ending violence, the arrest brought a complicated mix of emotions, as they grappled with the loss of their loved one while seeing the judicial process begin for the young person accused of taking her life.
