On the night of May 23, 2023, a sense of normalcy shattered for the family of 17-year-old TJ Harris, a Black male and a junior at L.C. Bird High School in Chesterfield County. After finishing his shift at work, TJ went to visit his cousin in Richmond's Southside, a routine visit that would tragically be his last. The evening took a devastating turn just before midnight when the sound of gunfire echoed through the 2400 block of Terminal Avenue.
Responding to the reports, Richmond Police
officers arrived to find a grim scene. TJ Harris was discovered unresponsive in the front yard of a residence, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound. Despite the immediate medical attention he received, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The sudden and violent loss of the young man sent ripples of shock and grief through his family and the community. His father, Anthony Harris, later expressed the family's profound disbelief, stating, 'We see it happen to everybody else, we never really expected it to happen to us.'
In the days that followed, family, friends, and community members gathered for a vigil to honor TJ's memory, mourning the promising life that had been cut short. The Richmond Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide. However, details regarding a motive or potential suspects have not been released to the public. As of the latest available information, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. Authorities continue to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the case, urging anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward. The investigation into the death of TJ Harris remains ongoing.
