On a late Tuesday night in September 2016, the life of 36-year-old Gregory D. Brown was tragically cut short in the Swanson Homes area of Portsmouth, Virginia. Emergency dispatchers received a call about a shooting at 11:05 p.m. on September 20th. When police arrived at the scene in the vicinity of 40 Swanson Parkway, they found Brown, a resident of Portsmouth, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.
According to his girlfriend's account, Brown had left her apartment around 10:30 p.m.
to go to a nearby store to get something to drink. On his way back, he was shot in the face on South Street. Despite his grave injury, Brown managed to make his way back to his girlfriend's home. He called out her name and collapsed on the stairs, where he died in the presence of his girlfriend and her children.
Gregory Denell Brown, also known as 'Neal,' was described by his loved ones as a good person, a loving father to his three children, and a devoted boyfriend and provider. He was a graduate of Western Branch High School and had attended a welding program at Tidewater Community College. Those who knew him remembered his laugh and his vibrant energy. In the days following his death, family and friends gathered for a vigil to honor his memory, pleading for an end to the violence that took his life.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Portsmouth police announced that they had some leads in the investigation but had not identified any suspects. Law enforcement officials and community leaders appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the killer. Despite these efforts, information regarding any arrests or the identification of a suspect in the death of Gregory D. Brown has not been publicly released, leaving his case unresolved.
