In the quiet morning hours of October 12, 2016, the community of Hampton, Virginia, was disturbed by a grim discovery. In the front yard of a residence on Peterborough Drive, 20-year-old Jakwon Barnes, a Black / African American male, was found unresponsive. Hampton Police were called to the scene, where they found that Barnes had sustained a single, fatal gunshot wound.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the location, leaving a family and a community to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of a young life.
The subsequent investigation by law enforcement painted a harrowing picture of Jakwon Barnes's final moments. His death was not a random act of violence but the tragic outcome of a home invasion. According to police reports, two individuals had forced their way into the residence, brandishing firearms and demanding money from the occupants. A struggle erupted between the intruders and those inside the home. It was during this violent altercation that Jakwon Barnes was shot and killed. The investigation continued as authorities worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal encounter.
A break in the case came with the arrest of 24-year-old Angel Rivas of Providence Forge. Rivas was also injured during the home invasion, having sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Following his treatment, he was taken into custody and faced a litany of charges in connection with the death of Jakwon Barnes. The charges filed against Rivas were extensive and reflected the violent nature of the crime. They included one count of Burglary While Armed, two counts of Attempted Robbery, two counts of Abduction, one count of Attempted Maiming, five counts of Use of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony, one count of Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling, one count of Wearing a Mask in Public, and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The investigation into the home invasion and Barnes's death remained ongoing as authorities sought to bring all those responsible to justice. The community mourned the loss of Jakwon, who was remembered by loved ones as a respectful and cherished individual.
