In the early morning hours of Saturday, September 21, 2013, the life of 41-year-old Derek Randell Price was tragically cut short in Roanoke, Virginia. Price was discovered deceased in the street in the 2700 block of Centre Avenue Northwest around 4:35 a.m., having sustained a fatal wound to his midsection. The events leading to his death began to unfold shortly after 4 a.m. when police initially responded to a call reporting gunshots in the area.
However, upon their initial arrival, they were unable to locate any victims or witnesses who were willing to come forward with information.
After gathering evidence from the initial call, law enforcement began to patrol the vicinity. Their investigation was quickly redirected by a second report of gunfire approximately thirty minutes after the first. It was following this second call that Derek Price was found. According to his mother, a Roanoke detective informed her that her son was an innocent victim in the shooting. She recounted that he died while shielding his cousin from a barrage of bullets fired from a passing vehicle.
At the time of the incident, police confirmed that numerous bullet casings were recovered from the scene and that several vehicles had been struck by gunfire. A search warrant was executed on a Cadillac that had been hit by a bullet, though the vehicle did not belong to Price. Despite the ongoing investigation and the recovery of evidence, authorities had not made any arrests in the case in the days following the shooting.
Price's family described him as a man who was actively trying to improve his life, despite a past that included criminal charges and time spent incarcerated. His mother stated that he had been staying out of trouble and was on a positive path. In the wake of his death, family and friends organized a candlelight vigil to honor his memory and to take a stand against the violence that claimed his life. The case garnered community attention, with a city councilman scheduled to speak at the vigil. Information regarding any subsequent arrests, suspects, charges, trials, or convictions in the death of Derek Price is not available in the provided online sources.
