On the morning of May 5, 2016, in Chesterfield, Virginia, 17-year-old Chase S. Harris, a Black male, was fatally shot in what police described as a drug transaction that escalated into a gunfight. The incident unfolded around 8 a.m. in the 4100 block of Mallard Landing Circle, near a school bus stop, shortly before a bus was scheduled to arrive.
Harris was a student at Carver College & Career Academy, where he was attending evening courses to earn his GED. On that Thursday morning, he was involved in an altercation with another 17-year-old male, who was a student at L.C. Bird High School. During the course of their interaction, which authorities believe was a prearranged drug deal, both teenagers produced firearms and exchanged shots.
When Chesterfield Police responded to the scene, they found Harris deceased from his injuries. The other teenager had sustained life-threatening gunshot wounds and was transported to VCU Medical Center for treatment. Investigators recovered weapons from the scene and indicated that the two teens knew each other. They also stated that they were not seeking any other suspects in connection with the shooting, as it appeared to be an isolated incident between the two individuals.
The surviving teenager was not immediately arrested due to the nature of his injuries and the ongoing investigation. The case eventually proceeded to court, where the Chesterfield County Commonwealth's Attorney's office prosecuted the matter. Following a trial, a jury found the former L.C. Bird High School student not guilty of the charges brought against him in relation to the shooting death of Chase Harris.
