In the summer of 2014, a burst of gunfire shattered the late afternoon peace of Richmond's Union Hill neighborhood, leaving a family devastated and a community on edge. On June 24th, as the day was winding down, officers were dispatched to the 800 block of North 21st Street around 5:26 p.m. following reports of random shots being fired. When they arrived, they discovered 47-year-old Jay Q. Wood, a Black male, suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite the swift response, his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the homicide quickly identified potential suspects. A few days after the fatal shooting, Richmond Police arrested 21-year-old Trevin K. Carter and charged him with conspiracy to commit murder. The search for others involved continued, and soon after, authorities announced they were seeking two more men in connection with Wood's death. Warrants for conspiracy to commit murder were issued for 20-year-old Shaquille Juwan Carter and 20-year-old Joevontae Octavian Artis.
The motive behind the shooting was not immediately clear, but the charges suggested a planned act. Jay Q. Wood, a husband of 27 years to his wife Bettina and a father, was tragically caught in a wave of violence that day. The police reached out to the public for assistance in locating the two remaining suspects, urging anyone with information to come forward and help bring justice to a family grieving an immense and sudden loss.
