In the vibrant and often crowded streets of Shockoe Bottom in Richmond, Virginia, the life of Oscar William Lewis II was cut short on the evening of October 8, 2017. At 25 years old, the Black father of a daughter, Avia, and a son, Acedyn, was fatally shot in an incident that also claimed the life of another man.
The shooting shattered the lively atmosphere of the neighborhood, known for its entertainment venues.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos as multiple gunshots rang out, sending people running for cover. Despite the prompt arrival of emergency medical services, the injuries sustained by Lewis and the other victim proved to be fatal, and both were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Richmond Police Department opened a homicide investigation in the aftermath of the double shooting. Initial theories suggested that the violence may have been the culmination of a dispute that turned deadly. However, as time has passed, no arrests have been made in connection with the killings, and the case has grown cold. The community was left to mourn the loss of a young man remembered by friends and family as a beloved individual with a bright future ahead of him.
