A fatal shooting incident occurred on the night of September 12, 2024, near a bus service company in Suffolk, Virginia, resulting in the death of two men and severe injuries to three others. The violent event, which took place roughly 35 miles southeast of Virginia Beach, has left the local community in shock.
During a press briefing on September 13, Suffolk’s Police Chief, James Buie, identified the deceased as 37-year-old William Goodman Jr., who was declared dead at the scene, and 30-year-old Demonte Tillery, who later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
As per the Suffolk Police Department, a distress call regarding a shooting on East Washington Street was received just before 11:30 p.m. on the night of the incident. “Arriving officers reported finding five people shot,” according to the department’s official statement. The Suffolk Fire & Rescue squad were also on the scene, providing immediate medical aid to the victims.
Besides the two fatalities, the three remaining victims, a woman and two men, were rushed to the hospital with serious gunshot wounds. As of the press conference on Friday afternoon, Chief Buie reported that they were expected to pull through.
The reason for the shooting remains undetermined, and no information about the shooter or possible suspects has been released by the police. The location of the incident, near the former H.M. White Bus Service on East Washington Street, is not typically associated with such violent acts.
Suffolk, Virginia, has a crime rate higher than the national average, with 23 crimes committed per 1,000 residents. The city’s violent crime rate is particularly alarming, with a 1 in 211 chance for residents to fall victim to such an act. The city also has one of the highest murder rates in the country for its size.
The Suffolk Police Department is actively investigating the shooting and is seeking the public’s help. The department urged, “Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact Suffolk Police or go to the Suffolk Police Department website (www.suffolkva.us/spd) and click on the Suffolk Crime Line link.”
Photographs from the crime scene depict a dump truck, branded with “Good Guys Enterprise LLC,” riddled with bullet holes and shattered driver’s side glass. It has been confirmed that Goodman was the owner of this truck. Several other vehicles were also hit, and shell casings were found scattered around. A local resident likened the scene to a war zone, estimating that dozens of rounds had been fired.
The fatal shooting is the second in Suffolk during the same week. On September 9, 24-year-old Alvin Brown Jr. was shot in the chest on the 6100 block of Old Townpoint Road, shortly after 2 p.m. He later died from his injuries at the hospital.
