In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, May 26, 2019, the life of 25-year-old Darius Timothy Gatling, a male resident of Newport News, Virginia, was tragically cut short. Emergency dispatchers received a call about a shooting shortly before 5 a.m. at the Wawa convenience store and gas station located at 14803 Warwick Boulevard in the Denbigh area of the city. Upon their arrival, Newport News police officers discovered Gatling in the parking lot, suffering from at least one gunshot wound.
Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
The investigation into Gatling's death began immediately, with police cordoning off the Wawa parking lot for several hours to collect evidence. In the days and months that followed, the Newport News Police Department appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and apprehension of a suspect or suspects. As of late 2019, no arrests had been made, and police had not released any information about a potential motive or suspect.
The lack of answers left Darius Gatling's family in a state of prolonged grief. His father, Timothy Veney, made public pleas for anyone with knowledge of the shooting to come forward, expressing the immense pain of losing his only child and the family's need for closure. The investigation into the homicide of Darius Timothy Gatling remains ongoing. Community walks were held in his memory, with family, friends, and concerned citizens gathering to honor his life and to hope for a breakthrough in the case.
