SMITHFIELD, Va. (WAVY) — As authorities searched Wednesday for two men wanted for questioning in a shooting in Smithfield, the community gathered for another reason: to honor the 21-year-old man killed in the homicide.
“This is a whole different type of hurt,” said Charnell King, the aunt of 21-year-old Desmond Smith.
King organized a candlelight memorial for her nephew Wednesday night at the scene of the crime, a 7-Eleven at 603 W. Main St.
More than 100 people showed up with balloons, candles and memories. Many wore orange as a way to bring awareness about gun violence.
“He was an up-and-coming rapper,” King said. “That was their passion, that was their passion.”
Smith produced music and music videos under the name “Bingg” and “24 Hundred production.”
“He also had his own clothing line. He was going to be like Pharrell,” King said.
The homicide happened Nov. 13. Police responded to the 7-Eleven at 10:52 p.m. for a report of shots fired.
Officers arrived at the store and found Smith suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“That young man, I don’t know him personally, his life is also lost because someone has to answer for this at the pearly gates,” King said at the vigil. “I’m not going to say guns is not the answer, because I do bear arms. But it’s a way to use them. Orange represents gun violence.”
Police identified 19-year-old Rojawn Orlander Warren as a suspect in the incident. He turned himself in several days later and was charged with second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm inside a building.
Warren’s bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 1 p.m.
Police have released two surveillance images of men inside a store who are wanted for questioning. They say they need the public’s help finding them, according to a Smithfield Police Department Facebook post.
Anyone with information on the two men should contact the Smithfield Police Department or the Isle of Wight/Smithfield/Windsor Crimeline at 888-LOCK-U-UP.
