In the Ocean View neighborhood of Norfolk, Virginia, on the evening of April 19, 2017, a tragic incident unfolded that claimed the life of 4-year-old Rayvon Anthony Messer Jr. Police and paramedics were dispatched to the 9500 block of 19th Bay Street around 7:45 p.m. following a report of a child with a gunshot wound. Upon arrival, they discovered the young boy outside of a residence, critically injured.
He was immediately transported to a local hospital, but tragically succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the child's father, 26-year-old Rayvon A. Messer, was taken into custody by Norfolk detectives. He was initially charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and was held at the Norfolk City Jail without bond. The initial narrative provided to 911 dispatchers alleged that the shooting was the result of a drive-by. However, the investigation by law enforcement soon began to point in a different direction.
As the case proceeded through the legal system, the initial charges against Rayvon A. Messer were amended. The second-degree murder charge was dropped, and prosecutors moved forward with charges of felony homicide and felony child neglect. This change in charges suggested a shift in the prosecution's theory of the case, indicating that the death of young Rayvon may have been accidental, contrary to the intention of the parties involved. The defense attorney for Messer maintained that the shooting was a tragic accident and that the father did not intentionally shoot his son.
