In the early morning hours of March 19, 2022, Sierra M. Jenkins, a 25-year-old female journalist, was fatally shot outside Chicho's Pizza Backstage in Norfolk, Virginia. Jenkins was an innocent bystander, caught in the crossfire of a dispute that erupted after an argument over a spilled drink inside the restaurant. The incident resulted in the death of another individual, 25-year-old Devon M. Harris, and left three other men wounded. Jenkins was leaving the establishment with a friend when the shooting occurred. She was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
A native of Norfolk, Jenkins had recently celebrated her 25th birthday. She was a respected education reporter for The Virginian-Pilot and the Daily Press, having previously interned at Atlanta Magazine and CNN after graduating from Georgia State University. On the night of her death, she was not on duty, but tragically, her editors at The Virginian-Pilot were unaware of her involvement and had been trying to contact her to cover the shooting. Her father described her as a caring and giving person who was not one to go out frequently but had made an exception that night to be with a close friend who was visiting.
In the months following the shooting, an arrest was made in connection with the case. Antoine Legrande was taken into custody and faced multiple charges, including second-degree murder, malicious wounding, and use of a firearm. However, the case against him encountered a significant setback. In November 2022, the charges against Legrande were dropped by the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's office. The decision was made due to a lack of cooperation from key witnesses, which prevented the prosecution from being able to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. This development left the case without a resolution, and as of the latest available information, no one has been convicted for the deaths of Sierra Jenkins and Devon Harris.
