A 25-year-old journalist has died following an early morning shooting in a coastal Virginia town.
The Virginian-Pilot, where Jenkins worked prior to her death,confirmed the newsin a Saturday report. The reporter’s family told the outlet that she “had been at Chicho’s Pizza Backstage with her best friend” shortly before the shooting.
The newspaper reports 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.
“We are devastated to report thatVirginian-PilotandDaily Pressreporter Sierra Jenkins was among the victims of an overnight shooting in downtown Norfolk,“thePilottweeted Saturday morning.
Jenkins' father, Maurice Jenkins of Virginia Beach, told thePilotthat his daughter went out Friday night with her best friend from middle school, who was in town.
The Virginian-Pilot/Twitter
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.
Schindel said Jenkins was part of “a nice group” that “took good care of our bartenders” prior to the shooting.
“It was just a normal night,” the manager told the outlet. “There were a lot of people there, as usual, and there was a great atmosphere inside.”
Chicho’s Pizza Backstage “was closing when an argument started outside and Jenkins … was caught in the line of fire as she left,” thePilotreported.
Jenkins was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, per the outlet.
A second victim, Devon M. Harris, 25, of Portsmouth, was pronounced dead at the scene, police reported.
The three other victims were also transported to the hospital for medical treatment. Their current conditions are unknown.
Pilotreporter Jane Harperwrote on Twitterthat she was “asked to fill in” for Jenkins Saturday morning as a result, and “found later why.”
“I’ve covered more murders than I can count during my reporting career but today’s will always stand out,” Harper tweeted. “Among the victims was my sweet colleague Sierra Jenkins.”
Jenkins had just celebrated her 25th birthday on March 13, the Sunday prior to her death, her father told thePilot.
Maurice Jenkins described his daughter as “a sweet, caring, and hard-working young woman who loved being a journalist,” per the report.
“Everyone loved her,” he said. “She was such an energetic, caring, and giving person. A real go-getter. She’d do anything for anyone.”
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Kris Worrell, editor-in-chief of Virginia Media, remembered Jenkins as “funny and energetic and full of enthusiasm,” adding that the company is “absolutely heartbroken” over her death.
“Sierra was a bright and talented woman with so much going for her. Her passion for journalism was undeniable and our community is better because of her reporting,” said Worrell in Saturday’s article reporting on Jenkins' death.
Virginia governor Glenn Youngkinsaid in a Saturday tweetthat he and his wife “are praying for their families, friends, and theVirginian-Pilotcommunity.”
“Our hearts are breaking for the lives lost in Norfolk, including Sierra Jenkins,” wrote the 55-year-old governor.
Jenkins' father visited the spot where his daughter was killed on Saturday, telling13 News Nowthat “something just made me feel like I just needed to just come and be where she was last at.”
“For something like this to happen, there’s no bigger shock than that,” he told the station, later adding that his daughter had “all kinds of life and opportunities ahead of her” before her life was cut short due to “senseless violence.”
“She was just a great all-around person,” the father concluded. “A great daughter. A great sister. A great friend.”
source: people.com
