On a Tuesday afternoon in the Highland Park neighborhood of Norfolk, Virginia, a domestic dispute turned deadly, forever altering the lives of one family. On August 24, 2021, police were called to a home in the 800 block of W. 42nd Street around 4:00 p.m. for a report of a gunshot victim. Inside, they found 67-year-old Michael D. Sturdivant suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.
Emergency responders transported Mr. Sturdivant, a male, to a local hospital for treatment.
Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he succumbed to his injuries and passed away. The tragic event marked another life lost to gun violence in the city that year.
As the investigation into the shooting unfolded, detectives quickly identified a suspect close to home. The victim's own grandson, 29-year-old Jamiele C. Pender of Norfolk, was arrested and charged in connection with the fatal shooting. He faced charges of second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Following his arrest, Pender was held in the Norfolk City Jail without bond. While an arrest was made, authorities did not release a motive or the specific circumstances that led to the deadly encounter between the grandfather and his grandson.
