24-Year-Old Arrested in Connection with March Shooting That Killed On-Call Virginia Reporter.
A Virginia man was taken into custody Tuesday in connection with the fatal shooting of three people, including a young journalist.
Antoine M. Legrande Jr., 24, is charged with three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of 25-year-old Virginian-Pilot reporter Sierra Jenkins, 24-year-old Marquel Andrews, and 25-year-old Devon "Malik" Harris.
He is also charged with two counts of malicious wounding for injuring two others, and firearms charges.
Legrande Jr. was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Task Force and the Norfolk Police Department's Special Operations Team.
"Countless hours of interviews and forensic investigation went into this case, including following up on multiple tips originating from our community members," Norfolk Interim Police Chief Michael Goldsmith said in a press release. "I am very proud of Norfolk's detectives and their determination to see justice prevail for the victims and their families."
The shooting occurred just before 2 a.m. on March 19. Jenkins had been at Chicho's Pizza Backstage in downtown Norfolk with her best friend from middle school shortly before the shooting.
The Virginian-Pilot newspaper reported that Jenkins was on-call for breaking news that evening and that an editor had reached out to her "repeatedly to ask her to cover it," not knowing she had been involved.
Rory Schindel, manager of Chicho's Pizza Backstage, said he caught wind of an argument outside of the establishment shortly after bartenders announced last call around 1:30 a.m. local time Saturday morning. He recalled customers had begun to exit when shots were fired.
Former Norfolk Police Chief Larry Boone told the Downtown Norfolk Civic League in the early days of the investigation that the fight started over a spilled drink inside the restaurant and bar but ended on the street with gunfire, CBS News reported.
The Pilot reported that Jenkins "was caught in the line of fire as she left."
Norfolk police officers were alerted to the shooting around 2 a.m., according to a statement from the department. Upon arrival, responding officers located five victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Jenkins was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Andrews, a father of two young children, was transported to the hospital for treatment and died almost a month later, on April 12. Harris, a semi-pro football player and friend of Andrews, died at the scene.
Two other men were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.