CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Police said a fight between two groups of people led to the gunfire that hit 10 Saturday night at a large party in Holly Cove.
By Sunday morning, one of those people, 27-year-old Brandon Smith of Suffolk, died.
Senior Police Officer Leo Kosinski said shortly before the shooting, officers received complaints about the party and traffic congestion at the intersection of Holly Cove Drive and Airline Boulevard. People were refusing to move for traffic in the area.
While officers were on their way to deal with the traffic complaints, gunfire erupted in the area. By the time they got to the location, the officers found several people had been shot.
Kosinski said two groups of people had gotten into a fight and then began shooting at each other. Several of the people who were hit in the crossfire were not involved in the dispute.
Neighbor Brianna Spruill said that the man who organized the party did so to end violence.
“Since I’ve moved out here, he’s been throwing all this good stuff. You know, like 'guns down, hands up.' You know, trying to get everyone to come together. You know his intention is to get everyone to come together so all this violence can come to a stop," said Spruill.
Spruill added that it's horrible the Memorial Day party ended in violence and death.
“Your family leaves to go have some fun, and then you get that call that they shot, or in the hospital, or dead. That’s horrible and I’m sorry that they had to go through that," said Spruill.
As of Sunday night, police said they didn't have suspect descriptions and no arrests had been made.
The police are asking the community to send them pictures and videos taken before and during the shooting. Content can be sent here.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP℠.