On the evening of June 19, 2017, the life of 25-year-old Johnathan Matthew Bradley, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short in Hampton, Virginia. Bradley, known affectionately as 'Smooth,' was a graduate of Bethel High School's Class of 2010 and was remembered for his athletic abilities in baseball and rugby. Born in England, he was raised in Hampton and was well-loved by those who knew him.
That evening, Hampton Police were called to the 200 block of Derosa Drive after
reports of gunfire. Arriving at the scene, they discovered Bradley inside a vehicle that had crashed into a house. He had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene by Hampton Fire and Rescue. The investigation that followed revealed a grim sequence of events. Bradley had been sitting in his parked car when three individuals approached him with firearms in an attempt to rob him. During this attempted robbery, Bradley was shot.
The investigation led to the identification of three suspects: 20-year-old Brian Austin Moore, 21-year-old Jerri De'Unda Forson, and 21-year-old Malik Omar Saunders, Jr. Moore was apprehended shortly after the incident, with Forson and Saunders being arrested later. All three men faced a string of serious charges, including one count of murder, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, one count of attempted robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, at least one of the suspects was brought to justice for his role in Johnathan Bradley's death. Jerri De'Unda Forson was convicted and sentenced to 17 years in prison. The arrests and conviction brought a measure of closure to a community shaken by the violent and senseless loss of a young life.
