On a summer evening in Hampton, Virginia, the life of a promising 20-year-old woman was tragically cut short. Raegan Sharnae Chisley, a female, was shot on June 22, 2021, following an altercation in the first block of Berkley Drive. Emergency services were called to the scene around 5:56 p.m., where they found Chisley lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound. She was rushed to a local hospital, but tragically succumbed to her injuries.
Chisley was a dedicated junior biomedical sciences major at North Carolina Central University with aspirations of attending medical school. She was an active member of her university community, serving as a chemistry tutor and a member of the Minority Association of Pre-medical Students.
The investigation into her death quickly led police to a suspect. Following the shooting, there was a belief that an armed individual had fled into a nearby residence, which resulted in a SWAT response. The home was eventually found to be empty. Investigators identified 16-year-old Zakwan Tyler as the suspect in Chisley's death. An arrest was made, and Tyler was taken into custody with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Task Force and the Newport News Police Department.
Zakwan Tyler, who was 16 at the time of the incident, was initially charged with murder, possession of a firearm by a juvenile, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. In February 2023, the case went to trial. A jury found Tyler guilty of the lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter and underage possession of a firearm.
