Empathy for families with ‘difficult days ahead’

To the Richmond community: My condolences and empathy to families as they face the difficult days ahead without their loved ones.

My heart aches for their pain from losing two family members so suddenly on June 6 during the shooting deaths of Shawn D. Jackson and his stepfather, Renzo Smith, after Huguenot High School’s graduation ceremony.

I am saddened thinking about everyone’s pain, how traumatized the families, grandparents, babies, children and the community were during the chaos and confusion of June 6.

I am saddened for all the graduate, and staff who worked so hard for their special day, but didn’t get the chance to enjoy their special day.

I pray everyone who was in attendance will seek mental health counseling. My family and I didn’t grieve for a long time after my son was murdered; it was too painful (and) I kept my pain inside for years until one day I was hosting a memorial for homicide survivors and (my) tears (came) without warning, flowing like a river. To everyone who witnessed the tragedy, seek counseling as soon as possible. This could be long term for everyone present.

Thank you to everyone who responded so quickly:

The Richmond Police Department

Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department

Mayor Levar M. Stoney

First Responders

Richmond Public Schools Superintendent

Jason Kamras

Community leaders and public officials

A special thank you to the Richmond Free Press for their quick reporting on the tragedy.

LInDA JoRDAn

The writer was founder of the Richmond Coalition Against Violence for Homicide Survivors, which dissolved in 2022 after 31 years.