In the early morning hours of May 22, 2021, the life of 24-year-old Jeffrey Lamont Baysmore, Jr. was tragically cut short in a shooting that unfolded in Portsmouth, Virginia. The incident, which also left a 29-year-old woman injured, took place in the 5000 block of George Washington Highway. Portsmouth police responded to a call about the shooting at approximately 3:16 a.m. and discovered Baysmore suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.
The female victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was expected to recover.
Jeffrey, a beloved son and father to a five-year-old son, was remembered by his family and friends as a good guy with a big heart and a jokester. His family described him as unique and someone who was loved by everybody who knew him. In the days following his death, the community gathered for a memorial to honor his life, filling the corner where he was killed with candles and balloons. His parents, still in disbelief, mourned the loss of their son and pleaded for an end to gun violence.
The Portsmouth Police Department launched a homicide investigation into the shooting. In their efforts to find those responsible, they released a video that is believed to be related to the case, showing an individual and another person on a bicycle in the hopes that the public could help identify them. Investigators have not publicly released a motive for the shooting.
Despite the ongoing investigation and the offer of a cash reward for information leading to an arrest, the case remains unsolved. As of the latest available information, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Jeffrey Lamont Baysmore, Jr. The Portsmouth Police Department continues to urge anyone with information to come forward as a family and community await justice.
