Park Employee Shot On Belle Island; Suspect Sought

From Richmond Police:

January 19, 2025

Belle Isle Aggravated Assault Suspect Sought

Richmond Police detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect who shot a City of Richmond Parks and Recreation Urban Park Ranger on Sunday on Belle Isle.

At approximately 1:42 p.m., Sunday, January 19, RPD responded to the Belle Isle area after receiving a report that an unidentified male suspect, had shot an adult male victim. The victim, an Urban Park Ranger with the City of Richmond, was providing information on available City of Richmond resources, when he was shot by the suspect. The victim was wearing a bullet proof vest which likely prevented him from sustaining serious injury.

The suspect was last seen fleeing on foot. The suspect is described as a black male in his late 30’s, approximately 5’11 tall, with a short patchy beard, short unkept hair, wearing a black jacket, black pants, and gray or black boots.

This is an active investigation.

Anyone with information about this suspect or this incident is asked to contact Major Crimes Detective S. Brown at (804) 646-6456 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones also may be used. All Crime Stoppers reporting methods are anonymous.

Snow Conditions


A pair of snow persons in Pleasants Park yesterday evening


Cherry Street RMA 195 overpass


Slick, icy sidewalks are a hazard on the 100 block of S.Cherry this morning, but I think the scooter was in the tree before any snow fell.

More snow possible this coming weekend.

Robert Pleasants Park Cleanup This Saturday

The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks are holding a park clean up event at Robert Pleasants Park (401 S. Laurel Street) this coming Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm.

From the FaceBook event page:
Join the Friends of Oregon Hill Parks and Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association as we clean up/make updates to our beloved Pleasant’s Park. Refreshments will be provided. Thank you in advance!

https://www.meetup.com/rva-clean-city-sweep/events/303790887/

Note: help may also be needed loading flower bed bricks on Friday.

“The Magic Of Belle Island” – Community Movie Night

From announcement:

Join us for Oregon Hill’s Outdoor Movie: The Magic of Belle Isle. Morgan Freeman plays Monte Wildhorn, a famous Western novelist whose passion for writing hits an impasse. He takes a lakeside cabin for the summer in picturesque Belle Isle (editor’s note: a fictional lakeside town, not Richmond’s Belle Island), befriending the family next door–an attractive single mom (Virginia Madsen) and her young daughters–who help him find inspiration again.
Free refreshments served: Grilled hotdogs, sides, desserts, and beverages..