Man shot dead at Richmond BART station in 3rd homicide of the year
on March 15, 2013
A man was shot dead at the Richmond BART station just after 6 pm on Thursday evening. The shooting marks Richmond’s third homicide this year. It follows the shooting deaths of Lincoln Plair, 20, on March 4, and William Wheeler, 26, on February 4, both within half a mile of Thursday night’s shooting.
Police described the victim as an African American man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Friday, BART’s Deputy Chief of Police, Benson Fairow, said that the victim was 34 years old. Fairow added that they had identified the man, but his name would not be released until the coroner had notified the next of kin.
Fairow also said that there was a second victim, a 26-year-old who did not sustain any life-threatening injuries. The victim was treated at a local hospital and was then released.
BART police started receiving calls reporting gunshots at the Richmond BART station just after 6 pm, said Fairow. Richmond police officers arrived first, then turned the site over to BART police. Because the shooting took place on BART property, BART police will lead the investigation.
Richmond resident Jennifer Williams said she had just gotten off the train on her commute home and was waiting for the elevator when she heard gunshots, despite wearing headphones. “The whole station was full of people,” she said.
When she reached the top of the stairs leading out of the station, Williams said, she saw the victim lying on the ground near the 16th Street entrance, while a woman tried to resuscitate him.
BART police were still looking for witnesses to the shooting. Fairow said that BART has a “pretty significant” system of video cameras at the station, and will be reviewing footage from them, as well as from CCTV cameras in downtown Richmond managed by the Richmond Police Department.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact BART police detectives at (510) 464-7040 or call the confidential hotline at (510) 464-7011.
This story was updated Friday, March 15 at 4 pm.
Richmond Confidential will continue to follow this story.
9 Comments
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Will there ever be an end to this violence here? 🙁
We are working very closely with BART PD to investigate this case and we are very concerned by it–as we are with all homicides that happen anywhere inside our City limits. Just as a minor, yet important, point of clarification, this homicide was within BART’s area of jurisdiction, so Richmond PD has had 2–not 3–homicides so far this year. Of course, we feel that’s 2 too many. ~ Chief Chris Magnus, Richmond PD
Thank you Chief Magnus, RPD has done a superb job under your leadership!!!
The violence will end here and all over the country, or at least it can be greatly reduced when children are raise by parents who actually “parent” their children.
When children have the proper role models in their own family.
When parents teach their children the value of education. That they can achieved anything they want but they must earn it and not expect someone to just give it to them.
Chief- Respectfully, there have been three homicides in Richmond in 2013 so while you may be correct on the technicality, the fact remains. Please continue working on making the entire city of Richmond safer.
Different police agencies have jurisdiction over different areas. For example East Bay Park Police have jurisdiction over areas in the East Bay Park system.
That said, these issues over which police agency have jurisdiction over an area sometimes cause problems. For example, calling 911 over a problem in an area which RPD doesn’t have jurisdiction over means the operator will not connect you with RPD, but with the police agency which does have jurisdiction, which can mean a long wait for a response.
Yes, but it DID happen in Richmond, CA correct?
Rpd is a joke….they find everyone but the murderers as usual. Find some of these kid killers and stop chasing crackheads and dope dealers dummies!!!!
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