In the early hours of March 4, 2019, a dispute in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven on Virginia Beach Boulevard tragically escalated, cutting short the life of 27-year-old Malcolm Adrian Jones. An argument preceded the violence that would ultimately lead to Jones, a Black male from Norfolk, being fatally shot. He was rushed to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries but unfortunately succumbed to his wounds.
The investigation into the shooting led Virginia Beach police to two
suspects. Malik Brown, then 20 years old and also from Norfolk, was identified as the shooter. He was subsequently arrested and faced a series of serious charges, including felonious assault, murder, and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Also taken into custody was 20-year-old Cornelia Otelia Taylor, of Norfolk, who was charged with being an accessory after the fact to a felony.
The legal process moved forward, and Malik Brown stood trial for his role in the death of Malcolm Adrian Jones. The evidence presented in court painted a picture of the final moments of Jones's life, showing that Brown shot him as he was attempting to drive out of the convenience store's parking lot. After hearing the case, a jury found Malik Brown guilty of second-degree murder, holding him accountable for the senseless act of violence that ended a young man's life.
