PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Police are working to locate Richard Banks as a person of interest in the homicide of a 17-year-old boy that happened earlier this month in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Police say that detectives are looking to speak with Banks regarding the incident on Oct. 15 near the 200 block of Woodstock Street.
A caller reported the shooting around 10:50 a.m. on Thursday and said the teen had multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body. Arriving medics pronounced him dead at the scene. The teen’s name has not been released, but police say his family has been notified.
This shooting was the second gun-related incident that day in Portsmouth. Police say that later that night, a man was injured in a shooting and taken to a local hospital. His injuries were to an upper extremity and not considered life-threatening.
Following the second shooting, Interim Portsmouth Police Chief Scott Burke sent out a statement Thursday, Oct. 15, in response to the recent violence in the city.
“Gun violence has a devastating impact on our communities, greatly magnified when the victims are the youth of our neighborhoods. When young men and women are the targets of these events, all too frequently killed, the effects are far-reaching. The reasons for the shootings are varied, including anger, pride, revenge, drugs, and territorial disputes. Our communities, businesses, civic leagues, faith-based organizations, and law enforcement agencies are working to build better partnerships to address these root causes. As investigators continue to work these cases, we ask anyone with information to contact the Portsmouth Crime Line.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Crimes Unit at 757-393-8536, call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (1-888-562-5887) or submit a tip online.
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