NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — While detectives are still investigating the fatal shooting on Bagnall Road in which Dion Melton, 32, was shot and later died, his family claims he was set up by another woman he was supposed to be visiting before being shot by another man.

According to the Norfolk Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 900 block of Bagnall Road around 1:15 a.m. Sunday in response to reports of a gunshot victim. Once authorities arrived, they found Melton with life-threatening injuries. He was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he later died.  

WAVY went to the shooting scene, where Norfolk Police was seen breaching a residence on Bagnall Road.

The man killed, Melton, was Cedric Cradle’s second-born son.

“Didn’t carry no guns,” Cradle said. “You know, he had his troubles, but he has no violent history, you know, none of that.”

Cradle showed 10 On Your Side where his son ran after the family claimed he was set up by a woman he was supposed to be visiting before being shot by another man.

According to the family, here is what happened to Melton.

He was on the phone with a woman who lives in an apartment. “She said three times, ‘I’m waiting for you, I’m waiting for you,” said Melton’s sister, Ashley Cradle, “and he got to the door, and I hear her say, ‘the door is open.'”

She said the door was locked, and when Melton ran to the back door, he was apparently shot. His father showed 10 On Your Side some of the last steps he would take.

“He ran and ran in this direction,” Cedric Cradle said. “He must have been hit because his blood is right here all over this manhole cover. He then got up and continued to run in this direction towards Virginia Beach Boulevard.”

Melton collapsed near, or on, Virginia Beach Boulevard before being taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where, despite efforts from first responders, Cedric Cradle’s son died.

“For him to die like this, I can’t let that go,” Cradle told 10 On Your Side. “And the people are just desensitized out here because … it’s like nothing happened. It’s like normal.”

Cradle said he was referencing the Calvert Square neighborhood. Just two days ago, a woman was killed on the same street. Police have arrested the man they believe was responsible for killing 22-year-old Erica Wright.

“The young lady died down here recently. It’s like nothing… nothing,” he said.

It’s exactly why Cradle started painting portraits for families of homicide victims — to help people connect with lives lost to gun violence, and to help families grieve.

“I seen it. It was no hope,” he said. “People were giving up. Families weren’t getting the attention that they needed,” he said. “I’ve done portraits for families. I mean, I’ve done 100, 150 portraits.”

He painted portraits of other people’s daughters, fathers, cousins, and now — his own son, Dion.

“Now I gotta do my own portrait. My blood son, my second born son, Dion Melton,” Cradle said. “Again, it feels strange, but now I’m in a fraternity that I never wanted to be a part of, you know?”

Cradle is hoping this is his last portrait. While grieving the loss of his second born, he spoke to those he believes could be responsible.

“We as African Americans in these in these communities have to get away from desensitizing homicide amongst people that look like you,” he said with crime scene tape behind him. “You can’t blame nobody else for this situation or others who have lost their lives since. We’ve desensitized this killing because now people walk around like nothing ever happened.”

Stop the Violence founder Bilal Muhammad says the homicides are a part of a concerning trend in the community.

“It’s been going on for 20, 30 to 50 years,” Muhammad said. “I remember when I was a boy, the same problem, the violent activities did take place. There has to be an end to this.”

Muhammad is now calling on city and community leaders to engage with residents and address the underlying issues that have contributed to the violence and says opening the window of communication is the most important step.

“We need to address the situation that is happening with these families,” Muhammad said. “There’s a lot of domestic problems going on, mental illness going on. This is for the city of Norfolk. This is for the Hampton Roads community. Let us come together and pull our community into a better leadership role, a better future role, so we can look at Calvert Square as a beacon of light, not a beacon of violence.”

10 On Your Side still working to learn why they needed to breach the home since Cradle said his son was found outside.

There have been two fatal shootings in the same block of Bagnall Road in the past four days.

“What I can tell you, this block has been the site of multiple shootings,” said Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “It is one of the most concentrated spots for violence in the city. I know the city, police department, NRHA (Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority) have working to address that.” 

Here’s what Norfolk Police has done to curb violence. They made Bagnall Road one way in-and-out to cut down on traffic, put up a camera station with frequent announcements — “you are on camera — and there are other cameras all around the complex.

How much of the shooting was caught on camera is unclear.

Melton’s father is greatly concerned about the African American community. He said he doesn’t want gun violence to be the norm in that community.

“I think it is the norm,” he said. “I am 51-years-old, and this is the norm, and I am saying this on camera. It will be this way until we face that reality, and that is going to continue to happen whether people want to believe it or not.”

This is an active investigation and anyone with information is encouraged to call the Norfolk Crime Line.