NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — It was a burst of more than a dozen shots in less than a second that killed Norfolk State University student Jahari George, 20, and that’s what the jury heard and saw Thursday in the murder trial of Camari Warren, 20.

George was shot dead shortly after 11 p.m. Sept. 2, 2023, following a Spartans home football game.

George was parked in his girlfriend’s car on Gatehouse Road about a block from a campus parking lot where Warren, Anthony Pugh, 17, and three others were standing. Pugh had brought Warren that night in Pugh’s car, and he had parked near the spot where George, his girlfriend and two others were parked, smoking weed.

Pugh was armed with his Glock 19 with an extended magazine, but that was not the murder weapon. Pugh was originally a co-defendant in the case and was put in juvenile detention. Eventually he agreed to testify against Warren.

Pugh’s testimony indicated he has a thorough knowledge of guns, as he explained the differences between generations of Glock firearms. He said he knows the difference between regular fire and automatic fire, and the shots he heard that killed George were “switch fire,” meaning fully automatic.

A Norfolk police detective testified that phone records show that Warren, standing in the parking lot at Spartan Suites, was on a six-minute phone call with co-defendant Cameron Brown, who was driving through the area and saw George parked near Pugh’s car.

The call ended at the very moment the fatal shots were fired, according to the detective. He also testified that Brown was the one who shot George.

It will be up to the jury to determine what role the phone call played in the steps that led to George’s death — whether Warren was directing Brown to kill George, or George acted on his own. Forensic data can indicate the location of the two phones and the duration of the call, but not show what was said.

Pugh testified that Brown later showed him the gun believed to be the murder weapon — a Glock 26 that was never recovered.

The Commonwealth wrapped up its case Thursday afternoon, and defense attorney James Broccoletti presented no evidence.

Closing arguments are expected Friday morning. Warren faces up to life in prison if convicted on the charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and several gun charges.

Wednesday — The trial begins

In his opening statement Wednesday, Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Phil Bailey used the phrase “wrong place, wrong time,” when referring to the death of 20-year-old Norfolk State University student Jahari George.

Camari Warren and Cameron Brown are charged with the killing of George in September 2023 on Gate House Road in Norfolk.

Bailey told jurors Brown was the gunman, and Warren put the incident in motion.

However, Warren’s Defense Attorney James Broccoletti claimed he was the wrong person charged during his opening remarks. He then said the individual who should be charged instead will be testifying for the prosecution during the trial.

Three victims testified Wednesday, including George’s girlfriend who was sitting in the passenger seat during the incident and was the owner of the vehicle.  She and the two other occupants who were present in the vehicle emotionally testified and detailed what they saw.

Prosecutors say the four individuals were sitting in the parked vehicle smoking weed around 11 p.m. when another vehicle pulled up next to them and shot 14 rounds into the driver’s side window. George was sitting in the driver’s seat and was the only one hit by the gunfire. The other three victims got out of the vehicle, called 911 and ran towards the police station.

The trial is expected to last several days.