Andrew Baylor Hoover, a 26-year-old male from Timberville, Virginia, was fatally shot on July 4, 2020, in Broadway, Virginia, following a series of altercations. The man charged in his death was Antone James Tavares, a 21-year-old from Mathias, West Virginia.
The tragic events of that day began with a verbal dispute in the parking lot of the Timberville Wal-Mart. Following this initial confrontation, Hoover left the scene in a Honda Civic.
Tavares then followed him in a Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The conflict continued at a 7-Eleven on South Main Street in Broadway, where another verbal argument took place.
The situation culminated in the area of Thatcher Bridge Lane and West Springbrook Avenue in Broadway. At approximately 10:30 a.m., after getting out of his vehicle, another argument ensued, and Hoover was shot twice. He was transported from the scene with the intention of being airlifted to a hospital but was pronounced dead before reaching the landing zone.
Law enforcement, including the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office and the Broadway Police Department, responded to the reports of shots fired. Tavares was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. He was held at the Rockingham Harrisonburg Regional Jail without bond.
Andrew Baylor Hoover, born on July 22, 1993, in Harrisonburg, was described by his family as a loving and active person who enjoyed playing basketball, and his guitar, and making music. His obituary stated he was taken by a 'wrongful act of violence.' He was a father to two daughters.
