In the late hours of a September evening in Petersburg, Virginia, the life of 34-year-old Delqukis Demone Ruffin, known affectionately as 'Dude,' was tragically cut short. On September 17, 2017, Ruffin was fatally wounded in a shooting that erupted in front of Shortt's Grocery Store at the intersection of Harding and Mistletoe Streets. The violent encounter left multiple people injured and a community in mourning.
That night, what was initially believed to be a drive-by shooting unfolded
as a chaotic exchange of gunfire. Investigators later determined that shots were fired from a silver Dodge Charger, and those who were targeted had returned fire. When police arrived at the scene, they discovered three adult males with gunshot wounds, two of whom had sustained life-threatening injuries. Delqukis Ruffin was one of the victims who succumbed to his injuries that night.
The investigation into the shooting led to a series of arrests. One of the individuals initially thought to be a victim, 20-year-old Danzel J'Quan Rives of North Dinwiddie, was later identified as one of the alleged shooters. He was taken into custody and faced a litany of charges, including four counts of attempted murder, aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and reckless handling of a firearm.
Further police work resulted in the apprehension of two more suspects from Petersburg: Jamal Devonte Brown and Harkeim Sharar Wells. Both men were charged with four counts of attempted murder, aggravated malicious wounding, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The arrests followed the execution of search warrants connected to the ongoing investigation into Ruffin's death. While the immediate aftermath saw suspects charged, the final disposition of their cases, including details of any trials or convictions, remains unclear from available online sources. In the wake of the violence, over 100 people gathered for a vigil at the intersection where Ruffin lost his life, a testament to a community deeply affected by the loss.
